Jean H. James

Dec. 28, 1922 - Jan. 21, 2015

Jean H. James, born December 28, 1922, left us after a brief illness last night January 21, 2015. She was 92. Jean was born in her grandparents’ home in Blooming Prairie, Minnesota. Her parents then took her home to reside in Charles City, Iowa with her sister Lois. Jean’s Dad, Louis Jung, worked for the post office until WW I, and was let go as he was German, and was also a machinist at the Oliver. He bought a Willy’s Pickup truck and started his Life-long job as a light trucker. Jean attended McKinley School, Charles City Junior high and continued to Charles City High school. Jean learned how to play the piano from Earl Stewart who was teaching at the Anderson Music House She loved to play and played publicly occasionally, mostly accompanying the Hacienda Heights Womanís Club. Our family loved hearing her play the baby grand piano that was in our living room. Her first job out of high school was at the Charles City Press, where she proof read and was a cashier for the paper. She then worked for the Oliver in the shipping department, and there she joined the union. Being active in the Central Methodist Church, she attended a church rally in Nora Springs. The group was waiting at the train station to return to Charles City and when the train didnít stop, the group was stranded. The Minister, Rev. Clarence James, said his son, Dwight, would be happy to drive Jean and her friend home to Charles City (all of 18 miles). That was when she met her husband. She and her friend rode in the “rumble seat” all the way home! She and Dwight were married September 7, 1946 in Charles City, IA. They moved to Cincinnati shortly after. Dwight’s job took them many places. From Cincinnati they moved to Fort Wayne, IN, South Bend, IN, Littleton, CO and then to Hacienda Heights, CA. The joys of her life were her children, Thomas, (born in Cincinnati), Richard, (born in Fort Wayne) and Sandra (born in South Bend). Dwight was employed with Singer Librascope, in Glendale, CA until his health gave out and he passed away on July 17, 1984. July 1989 she went to her 40th class reunion and met up with an old friend, Cliff Hildebrand. Sparks ignited between them and they were married on June 10, 1990. They moved to Ventura, CA but Cliff’s health declined and he passed in 2006. Jean then moved to Carson City, NV in August of 2008 where she resided until her death. Jean is preceded in death by her parents, Louis and Petrena and sister, Lois. Jean is survived by her sons, Thomas (Pamela) James; Richard (Leslie) James, daughter Sandra James; three grandchildren, Jennifer James, Christopher (Sabrina) James and Jessica James; and two great-grandchildren, Jayven and Mia. Memorial service for Jean will be on February 28, 2015 at 1:30pm at the Plaza Retirement Center in Carson City, NV. To sign the guestbook, go to www.waltonsfuneralhomes.com.