Obituary: Jean C. (Gurney) Roeber

Spokane, WA-November 12, 2024 – Jean C. (Gurney) Roeber died peacefully at home on November 12, 2024, just one year and 10 days after the death of Jim, her beloved husband of over 73 years. She was surrounded by four of her five daughters. She was 96 years old.

Jean was born in Chicago, IL, on February 22, 1928, to Lillian Mary (Kosmala) and Everett Gurney. She had one older brother who died at birth, Richard Everett, and an older step-brother, James Robert Bud, who died in 1965. She moved with her family to New York when she was 4 ½ years old and graduated from Roslyn High School, in NY in 1945. As a high school senior, she was one of the recipients of the national Westinghouse Science Talent Seach. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Cornell University. While at Cornell she was active in the Newman Club, and in the Dramatic Club where she met Jim, the love of her life. After graduation she worked as a spectroscopist for Baker & Company, a platinum refining company, in Newark, NJ.

During their final year together at Cornell Jean and Jim planned to marry and they were formally engaged on Christmas day 1949. They married on August 19, 1950. They moved to Cincinnati, and began a family. They had five children before moving to southern California in 1961. They had two more children before relocating to Spokane, WA in 1978. Jean spent her time as a wife, mother, and homemaker throughout these years. She supported the children's activities and also participated with Jim in the United States Power Squadron [USPS], a national education and boating safety organization. She participated at the local level in California and then in Spokane. She was qualified as a Senior Navigator, served as Education Officer, and subsequently as Commander of District 16 (the local squadron) during the 1980s; she also served as Chairperson of the Ad Hoc Meeting Program Committee at the National Level and was appointed a member of the National Water Safety Congress in 2007. In 2008 she was awarded a lifetime membership by the USPS Governing Board "for meritorious service given unstintingly and unselfishly in the interests of the [the] organization."

After all the children had left home, Jean worked for a time for a market survey firm. She also joined Rotary International in Spokane, WA, and was named a Paul Harris Fellow in appreciation of tangible and significant assistance given for the furtherance of better understanding and friendly relations between peoples of the world.

Jean was very active in the Catholic Church, in choirs in various parishes over the years, and later as a eucharistic minister in her Spokane parish.

Jean and Jim enjoyed traveling and had included both road trips and boating trips in the family's activities as the children were growing up, making sure that the trips were educational. After all the children had moved out they spent time exploring other parts of the world, often through boating trips or on cruises. They embraced the concept of "Sail before Sunset," that is, take advantage of possibilities while you are able to do so.

Jean is survived by six of her seven children: James Jr., Carolyn, Dorothy, Ruth, Susan, and Virginia, as well as 10 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren. She is predeceased by her parents Everett and Lillian, her beloved husband Jim, and her son Frederick.

A Vigil service will be held on December 2nd at 7 pm at St Thomas More Catholic Church, Spokane, WA. A funeral mass will be offered on December 3rd at St Thomas More Catholic Church, followed by a reception. Burial will be at 1 pm on December 3rd at Holy Cross Cemetery, Spokane, WA.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Holy Cross Funeral and Cemetery Services.