Jean Arlene (Kenyon) Lovelace, 90, St. Cloud

May 1, 1927 - April 11, 2018

Jean Arlene (Kenyon) Lovelace passed away in Sartell, MN on Wednesday, April 11, 2018 at 90. Funeral services will be at 11:00 A.M. on Thursday, April 19, 2018 at the Daniel Funeral Home in St. Cloud, MN. Interment will be at Yankton Cemetery in Yankton, SD, at 10:00 A.M. on Saturday, April 21, 2018. Visitation will be one hour prior to the funeral services.

Jean was born on May 1, 1927 in Weedsport, New York to Ester Weller Kenyon and Herbert Abraham Kenyon. She had one brother Carlton Kenyon.

In 1929 at the age of two her parents moved the family to Yankton, South Dakota where Jean grew up. She went to college at Iowa State College in Ames, Iowa and received a degree in Home Economics/Fashion & Textiles.

Jean’s long 40-year career as a teacher led her to many experiences from Iowa, Michigan and Minnesota. When she was teaching Home Economics in Corydon, Iowa she met William(Bill) Evans Lovelace who was a science teacher in the same school. Jean was angry at Bill and other single teachers who ate cakes her class had made for an event. She married Bill anyway on June 8 ,1952 in Yankton, South Dakota and they were married for 50 years.

Jean had many years in Holdingford teaching Occupational Foods which led many of her students to careers in the food service profession. Her students called her “Lovely” and she participated in many events and pep rallies dressing up as a football player in a tutu or as Boy George.

Jean had numerous talents. Creativity was her best quality. She was fantastic at sewing and crafting. She loved to travel and organized many camping expeditions around the U.S. with her family. She also had a Hat program and many groups around the St. Cloud area were privileged to see her hat program and collection of vintage hats.

She was very active in PEO, Faculty Wives, Home Ec. Club, The Red Hatters, International Neighbors, a gourmet club, a craft club and performed historical programs for the Stearns County Historical Society.

She was a very devoted and generous mother to her children and grandchildren who will share wonderful memories and stories of her. Her famous sayings to her children and students were, “Any job worth doing is worth doing well” and “Stiff Upper Lip”. She had a staunch determination to live in her home and did so until the last weeks of her life. Many thanks go to those who helped fulfill that wish, including Tom Odette, Bud and Lorna Nestle, Jodi and other caregivers from Comfort Keepers, Kathy Gruba and other close friends.

She is survived by her son, Kent (Karen) Lovelace of Grand Forks, ND. a daughter Merilee (Jim) Lovelace-Kleiber of Sandpoint, Idaho Her grandchildren, William Lovelace (Brittney Christy) of Grand Forks, ND, Sarah Lovelace of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Katelin Kleiber (Loyale Peterson) of Sandpoint, Idaho.

In lieu of flowers the family requests a donation, in her memory, to the Cramer-Kenyon Heritage Home 509 Pine Street in Yankton, South Dakota.