Barbara Jean Kilgore, age 85 of Leon, Iowa, was born June 11, 1929, in rural Dow City, Iowa to Fanchon Ivan and Jessie Maud (Thompson) Quick. She passed away at Westview Acres in Leon, Iowa on June 30, 2014. Jean was raised in rural Dow City and Dunlap, Iowa. When she was eight years old, her family moved to Washington State where her father took employment in the forests as lumberjack. He built a cabin in the woods so her parents, sister, and herself could live near where her father worked in the summer time. In the winter the family would move to town so the girls could attend school. When Jean was a sophomore in high school her family returned to Iowa where she graduated from Dow City High School in May of 1947. Jean went to Cosmetology school in Omaha and graduated in 1948. She went to Rising City, Nebraska, with a friend from beauty school to do practical training. While living in Rising City, she met a young banker from across the street from the beauty shop. When Jean's practical training was finished she planned to return to Iowa, but the young banker popped the question and asked her to be his wife. Jean was united in marriage to A. Ward Kilgore Jr. on October 10, 1948, in Dow City, Iowa. Ward and Jean made their home in Rising City, Nebraska, where their three children, Robert, Diane, and Mark, were born. In 1957, Ward took a job with the Ida County State Bank in Ida Grove, Iowa. The family lived in Ida Grove before Ward joined the Decatur County State Bank. The family moved to Leon in 1966. Ward and Jean were active in the Leon community and Jean served 10 years on the Decatur County Hospital Board. She was a homemaker but in the early 1970's she worked part-time at the Decatur County State Bank Bookkeeping Department. Jean made many friends in Leon and had many good times and great memories. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 59 years, Ward Kilgore; and brother-in-law, James Abbott. Jean is survived by her children, Robert Kilgore of Leon, Diane & Garry Hill of Leon, and Mark & Lynn Kilgore of Dubuque, Iowa; five grandchildren, Nicole & Scott Holmes of Raleigh, North Carolina, Angela & Patrick Hartley of Leon, James & Leslie Hill of Centerville, Iowa, Royce & Crystal Kilgore, and Scott & Beth Kilgore, all of Dubuque, Iowa; 11 great grandchildren; eight step-great-grandchildren; one step great great-great-grandson; sister, Frances Abbott of Westboro, Missouri; brother-in-law, Glenn & Wilma Kilgore of Rising City, Nebraska, and sisters-in-law, LaVona Barnhart of Sun City, Arizona, Phyllis Kniss of Springfield, Missouri, and Sharon Nicols of Sun City. Also surviving are nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. Funeral services will be held at the Slade - O'Donnell Funeral Home in Leon, Iowa at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, July 3, 2014 with Rev. Terry D. Roberts officiating. Burial will be in the Leon Cemetery, Leon, Iowa.