JEAN KATHLEEN EDWARDS Jan. 15, 1923 – Feb. 8, 2015
Jean Kathleen Edwards, 92, died February 8, 2015 in her home in Los Alamos, NM with her daughter, son-in-law and Dash by her side.
She was born in Toledo, Ohio, January 15, 1923 to Gerald and Irene (Walcher) Rogers. Jean was diagnosed with cancer in January 2003 and had 10 cancer free years following treatment by Dr. Peter Lindberg at the Los Alamos Medical Center. Jean fought the return of her cancer with treatment at the Santa Fe Radiation Center then later entered hospice care with Del Corazon.
Jean left Ohio with her parents and sister moving to Dearborn, Michigan and left there in 1946 with them to travel “out west” in a “modern” travel trailer. They journeyed through Chicago, Ill.; Jackson, Wyo.; and Yellowstone down the coast of California to Las Vegas, Nev., and on to Amarillo, Texas – eventually ending up in Los Alamos in 1948. Jean worked for the telephone company and said her most important job was to be polite to everyone waiting for home phones to be installed.
Jean spent many years in New Mexico, in Los Alamos and the Espanola Valley before moving to Fredericksburg, Texas were she married Claude Edwards in 1992. She and Claude enjoyed their four mile walks through the countryside every morning, travelled to England, Scotland, the Galapagos Islands, and took a train trip through the Andes. They travelled through the US, to Florida, Georgia, Ohio, rafted down Big Bend and spent time on a houseboat at Lake Powell. They had many happy years in Texas before returning to New Mexico.
Jean is preceded in death by her parents Gerald and Irene Rogers, her sister Ruth Rogers, her husband Claude Edwards. She is survived by her daughter Kathleen and husband Juan (Bob) Baldonado, two grandchildren, Rob, Eric and wife Destini, four great grandchildren, Damon, Sidney, Sagar and Ashley and Claude’s sons, Tom (Hila), Mike (Karen) and Mark (Karen).
Those who knew Jean will remember her love of gardening, particularly roses, how she loved to read and her artwork. At her request, cremation has taken place and a memorial service will be held June 20, 2015 at 10:30 a.m. in the gardens at Ridge Park Apartments when her beloved roses are blooming. Burial will be at Guaje Pines Cemetery in Los Alamos.
The family wishes to thank her caregivers, Del Corazon Hospice, Comfort Keepers, the BESC meals program, Rivera Funeral Home of Espanola and all the friends who provided company and support. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to any of Jeans favorite charities, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Smile Train, or Bittersweet Farms serving people with Autism (www.bittersweetfarms.org).
