Jean Ellen Acker, 100, of Wilsonville, passed away May 14, 2015.
This past October, Jean enjoyed a celebration of her 100th birthday with more than 50 friends and family members present.
Jean was born Oct. 5, 1914, in Portland to LeRoy and LaVena Fox. Jean's mother died of tuberculosis when Jean was 3 years old, and she was raised by an aunt and two uncles.
In 1922, Jean won a blue ribbon when she rode her pony, Topsy, in the Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade. A graduate of Grant High School, Jean was a senior when she won a national dress-making competition. Jean was an accomplished seamstress and she sewed most of her sons' clothes when they were growing up.
Jean outlived two husbands. Her first husband, Wilbur Eugene Acker, was a neighbor boy she met when she was 13 years old. Jean married Wilbur in San Francisco in 1936, and the couple was married for 45 years until Wilbur passed away. Jean's greatest joy was raising their three sons, who all attended Lewis & Clark College and were the first in their family to graduate from college. Jean and Wilbur raised a dentist, a doctor and a teacher/coach. As a full-time homemaker, Jean volunteered in the PTA and later in the Mothers Club at Lewis & Clark. She was a lifelong member of the Presbyterian church. In 1989, Jean married William Blatter, a longtime friend and neighbor who was also widowed. The couple was married for five years until William's death. Jean taught herself to paint with oils after her family was grown. Despite a debilitating stroke when she was 84, Jean continued living independently until she moved to an assisted care facility when she was in her 90s. Jean then began drawing with pastels, teaching herself to use her non-dominant left hand to create her art. In the fall of 2013, the Marquis in Wilsonville, where she was residing, hosted an art show and reception to showcase Jean's painting. Jean was preceded in death by her husband, Wilbur (1981); second husband, William (1994); son, William (2010); and grandson, Robert (2014). Survivors include her sons, Robert (Bonnie) and Daniel (Barbara); granddaughters, Vickie, Jennie and Andrea; grandsons, Darren, Timothy, Randy, Michael, A.J. and Aaron; 25 great-grandchildren; and 11 nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 30, 2015, at Skyline Memorial Gardens in Portland. If you would like to make a charitable donation in Jean's memory, she would be honored by a contribution to your local school or any organization that helps children.
Published in The Oregonian from May 27 to May 29, 2015
This past October, Jean enjoyed a celebration of her 100th birthday with more than 50 friends and family members present.
Jean was born Oct. 5, 1914, in Portland to LeRoy and LaVena Fox. Jean's mother died of tuberculosis when Jean was 3 years old, and she was raised by an aunt and two uncles.
In 1922, Jean won a blue ribbon when she rode her pony, Topsy, in the Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade. A graduate of Grant High School, Jean was a senior when she won a national dress-making competition. Jean was an accomplished seamstress and she sewed most of her sons' clothes when they were growing up.
Jean outlived two husbands. Her first husband, Wilbur Eugene Acker, was a neighbor boy she met when she was 13 years old. Jean married Wilbur in San Francisco in 1936, and the couple was married for 45 years until Wilbur passed away. Jean's greatest joy was raising their three sons, who all attended Lewis & Clark College and were the first in their family to graduate from college. Jean and Wilbur raised a dentist, a doctor and a teacher/coach. As a full-time homemaker, Jean volunteered in the PTA and later in the Mothers Club at Lewis & Clark. She was a lifelong member of the Presbyterian church. In 1989, Jean married William Blatter, a longtime friend and neighbor who was also widowed. The couple was married for five years until William's death. Jean taught herself to paint with oils after her family was grown. Despite a debilitating stroke when she was 84, Jean continued living independently until she moved to an assisted care facility when she was in her 90s. Jean then began drawing with pastels, teaching herself to use her non-dominant left hand to create her art. In the fall of 2013, the Marquis in Wilsonville, where she was residing, hosted an art show and reception to showcase Jean's painting. Jean was preceded in death by her husband, Wilbur (1981); second husband, William (1994); son, William (2010); and grandson, Robert (2014). Survivors include her sons, Robert (Bonnie) and Daniel (Barbara); granddaughters, Vickie, Jennie and Andrea; grandsons, Darren, Timothy, Randy, Michael, A.J. and Aaron; 25 great-grandchildren; and 11 nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 30, 2015, at Skyline Memorial Gardens in Portland. If you would like to make a charitable donation in Jean's memory, she would be honored by a contribution to your local school or any organization that helps children.
Published in The Oregonian from May 27 to May 29, 2015
Jean Ellen Acker, 100, of Wilsonville, passed away May 14, 2015.
This past October, Jean enjoyed a celebration of her 100th birthday with more than 50 friends and family members present.
Jean was born Oct. 5, 1914, in Portland to LeRoy and LaVena Fox. Jean's mother died of tuberculosis when Jean was 3 years old, and she was raised by an aunt and two uncles.
In 1922, Jean won a blue ribbon when she rode her pony, Topsy, in the Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade. A graduate of Grant High School, Jean was a senior when she won a national dress-making competition. Jean was an accomplished seamstress and she sewed most of her sons' clothes when they were growing up.
Jean outlived two husbands. Her first husband, Wilbur Eugene Acker, was a neighbor boy she met when she was 13 years old. Jean married Wilbur in San Francisco in 1936, and the couple was married for 45 years until Wilbur passed away. Jean's greatest joy was raising their three sons, who all attended Lewis & Clark College and were the first in their family to graduate from college. Jean and Wilbur raised a dentist, a doctor and a teacher/coach. As a full-time homemaker, Jean volunteered in the PTA and later in the Mothers Club at Lewis & Clark. She was a lifelong member of the Presbyterian church. In 1989, Jean married William Blatter, a longtime friend and neighbor who was also widowed. The couple was married for five years until William's death. Jean taught herself to paint with oils after her family was grown. Despite a debilitating stroke when she was 84, Jean continued living independently until she moved to an assisted care facility when she was in her 90s. Jean then began drawing with pastels, teaching herself to use her non-dominant left hand to create her art. In the fall of 2013, the Marquis in Wilsonville, where she was residing, hosted an art show and reception to showcase Jean's painting. Jean was preceded in death by her husband, Wilbur (1981); second husband, William (1994); son, William (2010); and grandson, Robert (2014). Survivors include her sons, Robert (Bonnie) and Daniel (Barbara); granddaughters, Vickie, Jennie and Andrea; grandsons, Darren, Timothy, Randy, Michael, A.J. and Aaron; 25 great-grandchildren; and 11 nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 30, 2015, at Skyline Memorial Gardens in Portland. If you would like to make a charitable donation in Jean's memory, she would be honored by a contribution to your local school or any organization that helps children.
Published in The Oregonian from May 27 to May 29, 2015
This past October, Jean enjoyed a celebration of her 100th birthday with more than 50 friends and family members present.
Jean was born Oct. 5, 1914, in Portland to LeRoy and LaVena Fox. Jean's mother died of tuberculosis when Jean was 3 years old, and she was raised by an aunt and two uncles.
In 1922, Jean won a blue ribbon when she rode her pony, Topsy, in the Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade. A graduate of Grant High School, Jean was a senior when she won a national dress-making competition. Jean was an accomplished seamstress and she sewed most of her sons' clothes when they were growing up.
Jean outlived two husbands. Her first husband, Wilbur Eugene Acker, was a neighbor boy she met when she was 13 years old. Jean married Wilbur in San Francisco in 1936, and the couple was married for 45 years until Wilbur passed away. Jean's greatest joy was raising their three sons, who all attended Lewis & Clark College and were the first in their family to graduate from college. Jean and Wilbur raised a dentist, a doctor and a teacher/coach. As a full-time homemaker, Jean volunteered in the PTA and later in the Mothers Club at Lewis & Clark. She was a lifelong member of the Presbyterian church. In 1989, Jean married William Blatter, a longtime friend and neighbor who was also widowed. The couple was married for five years until William's death. Jean taught herself to paint with oils after her family was grown. Despite a debilitating stroke when she was 84, Jean continued living independently until she moved to an assisted care facility when she was in her 90s. Jean then began drawing with pastels, teaching herself to use her non-dominant left hand to create her art. In the fall of 2013, the Marquis in Wilsonville, where she was residing, hosted an art show and reception to showcase Jean's painting. Jean was preceded in death by her husband, Wilbur (1981); second husband, William (1994); son, William (2010); and grandson, Robert (2014). Survivors include her sons, Robert (Bonnie) and Daniel (Barbara); granddaughters, Vickie, Jennie and Andrea; grandsons, Darren, Timothy, Randy, Michael, A.J. and Aaron; 25 great-grandchildren; and 11 nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 30, 2015, at Skyline Memorial Gardens in Portland. If you would like to make a charitable donation in Jean's memory, she would be honored by a contribution to your local school or any organization that helps children.
Published in The Oregonian from May 27 to May 29, 2015
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