Jean Edith (Abbott) Negley was born March 7, 1940, in Clarinda, Iowa the daughter o Vern Abbott and Edith (Apple) Abbott. She grew up on the Abbott farm four miles west of Clarinda along with her brothers Alan and Jon. She had fond memories of playing in nearby Snake Creek and family fishing trips to Minnesota. She attended elementary school in Yorktown before graduating from Clarinda High School with the Class of 1958. She played trombone in the school band and that’s where she first met her eventual life partner, Marvin Negley.
After high school, Jean attended Clarinda Junior College before transferring to Iowa State where she graduated with a Mathematics Degree in 1962. On February 14, 1960, Marvin and Jean were united in marriage in Yorktown, Iowa. After college, they moved to Buchanan, Michigan where Marvin worked at Electro-Voice and Jean was a high school math teacher. In 1968, they returned to Clarinda to be closer to family and to raise their three boys. The boys were active in school and the family calendar was typically filled with concerts and ballgames.
Jean taught math at the high school and Marvin was Manager of Engineering at Lisle Corporation, but they also operated a small hobby farm on a tract of land west of town that had belonged to the Abbott family. In 1989, they discontinued farming and planted a large portion of the farm in trees. In 1981, she stopped teaching and became co-founder of Bordeaux, Inc., a local clothing company. Over the next decade, she experienced both the joys and pitfalls of being an entrepreneur. In 1992, she became an administrator associated with the Clarinda Academy and continued in that capacity until her untimely passing.
Jean was always involved in community activities and volunteering her time to make Clarinda a special place . . . the home of both she and Marvin’s families for many generations. She was all about getting things done and since she seemingly knew ‘everybody’ she had plenty of resourses to make things happen. She was often asked to sit on boards or serve on committees where she often had leadership roles. Some of the organizations she had been a part of included the Clarinda Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis, Trees Forever, and the Glenn Miller Birthplace Society.
Jean had a sense of adventure and had the good fortune to travel around the USA as well as many foreign countries. She loved seeing the sites and meeting people from different backgrounds. She loved to fish in the pond and liked nothing better than rolling down the windows and taking off on some backroad driving adventure. A farm girl at heart, she had a good mechanical sense around machinery and could clean the carburetor on the old Ford 640 tractor . . . endearing qualities to her family of four engineers! One of her favorite pastimes was driving that tractor around the family farm which she had nicknamed “Serenity Acres”. She was a prolific winker, which was her sign of affection or that she hoped you were in on the joke. She was also a faithful member of the Fairview Church of Christ.
Jean was a mentor and friend to many . . . Aunt Jean, Grandma Jean, and Mom to a precious few. She loved life and all its complexity, but liked nothing better than simply gathering around the fireplace on a cold night surrounded by family. That same family will treasure her memory and carry on her legacy.
Left to cherish Jean’s memory are her husband Marvin Negley of Clarinda, Iowa; sons Paul (Dasha) of Urbandale, Iowa; Van (Barb) of Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Mark (Em) of Kirkland, Washington; grandchildren Luke, Logan, Timber, Minka, Race, Charlotte, Brio; nieces, nephews and so many friends.
Preceding Jean in death were her parents Vern and Edith Abbott; her two brothers, Alan and Jon Abbott; and her in-laws Paul and Elsie Negley.
Jean was a life well lived . . . her impact on her family and community will long be remembered.
May she be at peace in God’s loving care.
After high school, Jean attended Clarinda Junior College before transferring to Iowa State where she graduated with a Mathematics Degree in 1962. On February 14, 1960, Marvin and Jean were united in marriage in Yorktown, Iowa. After college, they moved to Buchanan, Michigan where Marvin worked at Electro-Voice and Jean was a high school math teacher. In 1968, they returned to Clarinda to be closer to family and to raise their three boys. The boys were active in school and the family calendar was typically filled with concerts and ballgames.
Jean taught math at the high school and Marvin was Manager of Engineering at Lisle Corporation, but they also operated a small hobby farm on a tract of land west of town that had belonged to the Abbott family. In 1989, they discontinued farming and planted a large portion of the farm in trees. In 1981, she stopped teaching and became co-founder of Bordeaux, Inc., a local clothing company. Over the next decade, she experienced both the joys and pitfalls of being an entrepreneur. In 1992, she became an administrator associated with the Clarinda Academy and continued in that capacity until her untimely passing.
Jean was always involved in community activities and volunteering her time to make Clarinda a special place . . . the home of both she and Marvin’s families for many generations. She was all about getting things done and since she seemingly knew ‘everybody’ she had plenty of resourses to make things happen. She was often asked to sit on boards or serve on committees where she often had leadership roles. Some of the organizations she had been a part of included the Clarinda Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis, Trees Forever, and the Glenn Miller Birthplace Society.
Jean had a sense of adventure and had the good fortune to travel around the USA as well as many foreign countries. She loved seeing the sites and meeting people from different backgrounds. She loved to fish in the pond and liked nothing better than rolling down the windows and taking off on some backroad driving adventure. A farm girl at heart, she had a good mechanical sense around machinery and could clean the carburetor on the old Ford 640 tractor . . . endearing qualities to her family of four engineers! One of her favorite pastimes was driving that tractor around the family farm which she had nicknamed “Serenity Acres”. She was a prolific winker, which was her sign of affection or that she hoped you were in on the joke. She was also a faithful member of the Fairview Church of Christ.
Jean was a mentor and friend to many . . . Aunt Jean, Grandma Jean, and Mom to a precious few. She loved life and all its complexity, but liked nothing better than simply gathering around the fireplace on a cold night surrounded by family. That same family will treasure her memory and carry on her legacy.
Left to cherish Jean’s memory are her husband Marvin Negley of Clarinda, Iowa; sons Paul (Dasha) of Urbandale, Iowa; Van (Barb) of Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Mark (Em) of Kirkland, Washington; grandchildren Luke, Logan, Timber, Minka, Race, Charlotte, Brio; nieces, nephews and so many friends.
Preceding Jean in death were her parents Vern and Edith Abbott; her two brothers, Alan and Jon Abbott; and her in-laws Paul and Elsie Negley.
Jean was a life well lived . . . her impact on her family and community will long be remembered.
May she be at peace in God’s loving care.
Jean Edith (Abbott) Negley was born March 7, 1940, in Clarinda, Iowa the daughter o Vern Abbott and Edith (Apple) Abbott. She grew up on the Abbott farm four miles west of Clarinda along with her brothers Alan and Jon. She had fond memories of playing in nearby Snake Creek and family fishing trips to Minnesota. She attended elementary school in Yorktown before graduating from Clarinda High School with the Class of 1958. She played trombone in the school band and that’s where she first met her eventual life partner, Marvin Negley.
After high school, Jean attended Clarinda Junior College before transferring to Iowa State where she graduated with a Mathematics Degree in 1962. On February 14, 1960, Marvin and Jean were united in marriage in Yorktown, Iowa. After college, they moved to Buchanan, Michigan where Marvin worked at Electro-Voice and Jean was a high school math teacher. In 1968, they returned to Clarinda to be closer to family and to raise their three boys. The boys were active in school and the family calendar was typically filled with concerts and ballgames.
Jean taught math at the high school and Marvin was Manager of Engineering at Lisle Corporation, but they also operated a small hobby farm on a tract of land west of town that had belonged to the Abbott family. In 1989, they discontinued farming and planted a large portion of the farm in trees. In 1981, she stopped teaching and became co-founder of Bordeaux, Inc., a local clothing company. Over the next decade, she experienced both the joys and pitfalls of being an entrepreneur. In 1992, she became an administrator associated with the Clarinda Academy and continued in that capacity until her untimely passing.
Jean was always involved in community activities and volunteering her time to make Clarinda a special place . . . the home of both she and Marvin’s families for many generations. She was all about getting things done and since she seemingly knew ‘everybody’ she had plenty of resourses to make things happen. She was often asked to sit on boards or serve on committees where she often had leadership roles. Some of the organizations she had been a part of included the Clarinda Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis, Trees Forever, and the Glenn Miller Birthplace Society.
Jean had a sense of adventure and had the good fortune to travel around the USA as well as many foreign countries. She loved seeing the sites and meeting people from different backgrounds. She loved to fish in the pond and liked nothing better than rolling down the windows and taking off on some backroad driving adventure. A farm girl at heart, she had a good mechanical sense around machinery and could clean the carburetor on the old Ford 640 tractor . . . endearing qualities to her family of four engineers! One of her favorite pastimes was driving that tractor around the family farm which she had nicknamed “Serenity Acres”. She was a prolific winker, which was her sign of affection or that she hoped you were in on the joke. She was also a faithful member of the Fairview Church of Christ.
Jean was a mentor and friend to many . . . Aunt Jean, Grandma Jean, and Mom to a precious few. She loved life and all its complexity, but liked nothing better than simply gathering around the fireplace on a cold night surrounded by family. That same family will treasure her memory and carry on her legacy.
Left to cherish Jean’s memory are her husband Marvin Negley of Clarinda, Iowa; sons Paul (Dasha) of Urbandale, Iowa; Van (Barb) of Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Mark (Em) of Kirkland, Washington; grandchildren Luke, Logan, Timber, Minka, Race, Charlotte, Brio; nieces, nephews and so many friends.
Preceding Jean in death were her parents Vern and Edith Abbott; her two brothers, Alan and Jon Abbott; and her in-laws Paul and Elsie Negley.
Jean was a life well lived . . . her impact on her family and community will long be remembered.
May she be at peace in God’s loving care.
After high school, Jean attended Clarinda Junior College before transferring to Iowa State where she graduated with a Mathematics Degree in 1962. On February 14, 1960, Marvin and Jean were united in marriage in Yorktown, Iowa. After college, they moved to Buchanan, Michigan where Marvin worked at Electro-Voice and Jean was a high school math teacher. In 1968, they returned to Clarinda to be closer to family and to raise their three boys. The boys were active in school and the family calendar was typically filled with concerts and ballgames.
Jean taught math at the high school and Marvin was Manager of Engineering at Lisle Corporation, but they also operated a small hobby farm on a tract of land west of town that had belonged to the Abbott family. In 1989, they discontinued farming and planted a large portion of the farm in trees. In 1981, she stopped teaching and became co-founder of Bordeaux, Inc., a local clothing company. Over the next decade, she experienced both the joys and pitfalls of being an entrepreneur. In 1992, she became an administrator associated with the Clarinda Academy and continued in that capacity until her untimely passing.
Jean was always involved in community activities and volunteering her time to make Clarinda a special place . . . the home of both she and Marvin’s families for many generations. She was all about getting things done and since she seemingly knew ‘everybody’ she had plenty of resourses to make things happen. She was often asked to sit on boards or serve on committees where she often had leadership roles. Some of the organizations she had been a part of included the Clarinda Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis, Trees Forever, and the Glenn Miller Birthplace Society.
Jean had a sense of adventure and had the good fortune to travel around the USA as well as many foreign countries. She loved seeing the sites and meeting people from different backgrounds. She loved to fish in the pond and liked nothing better than rolling down the windows and taking off on some backroad driving adventure. A farm girl at heart, she had a good mechanical sense around machinery and could clean the carburetor on the old Ford 640 tractor . . . endearing qualities to her family of four engineers! One of her favorite pastimes was driving that tractor around the family farm which she had nicknamed “Serenity Acres”. She was a prolific winker, which was her sign of affection or that she hoped you were in on the joke. She was also a faithful member of the Fairview Church of Christ.
Jean was a mentor and friend to many . . . Aunt Jean, Grandma Jean, and Mom to a precious few. She loved life and all its complexity, but liked nothing better than simply gathering around the fireplace on a cold night surrounded by family. That same family will treasure her memory and carry on her legacy.
Left to cherish Jean’s memory are her husband Marvin Negley of Clarinda, Iowa; sons Paul (Dasha) of Urbandale, Iowa; Van (Barb) of Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Mark (Em) of Kirkland, Washington; grandchildren Luke, Logan, Timber, Minka, Race, Charlotte, Brio; nieces, nephews and so many friends.
Preceding Jean in death were her parents Vern and Edith Abbott; her two brothers, Alan and Jon Abbott; and her in-laws Paul and Elsie Negley.
Jean was a life well lived . . . her impact on her family and community will long be remembered.
May she be at peace in God’s loving care.
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