Jeane W. King
Jeane W. King of La Conner, Washington died there on Saturday, July 2, 2011 after a brief illness. She was 92. Jeane, who never had any living siblings, was born in Seattle, WA on October 2, 1918. She graduated from Broadway High School in Seattle and attended both the University of Washington in Seattle and Whitman College in Walla Walla, WA. She was an active member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority and she received her B.A. degree from the U.W. in 1940. On August 15, 1941 Jeane wed her beloved husband Robert B. King in Seattle. For most of their long, happy marriage of nearly 53 years the couple resided on Mercer Island, WA. There they raised 4 children together while Bob pursued his lifelong career at the Boeing Company and Jeane intermittently taught sewing and worked at the Visitor’s Bureau in Seattle. They relocated to La Conner a couple of years prior to Bob King’s death on June 8, 1994 During the following years Jeane became a noted local artist who worked in the media of pastel, sumi and watercolor. She regularly exhibited her work, including one solo show in Pt. Townsend, WA in December 2009. Jeane did portraits, landscapes and still-lifes; she also published charming sketchbooks of La Conner and of Shelter Bay. Jeane was a creative, capable and family-oriented woman with a great sense of humor who will be much missed by her many friends and family members. She led an active, varied and busy life. At representative moments you might have found her engaged in any of the following:
• Designing and tailoring exquisite clothing at her sewing machine
• Pounding nails into a new dock or hanging wallpaper for the latest home building project
• Hunting for “thunder-eggs” and agates on family camping trips, then tumbling them to a shine and incorporating them into artistic mosaic panels
• Sitting around the family dining table reading aloud from humorous clippings or from Adelle Davis’ Let’s Eat Right to Keep Fit
• Enjoying a workout on the tennis courts or skiing on the slopes at Todd Mountain with her family
• Navigating Deception Pass in a small boat with her husband, 4 kids and the family dog
• Pondering the latest investment newsletter tips or alternative medicine research study
• Sharing a Hawaiian sunset and “pupus” with her husband
• Combing local yard sales for a great find
• Venturing out alone to explore the sights and bazaars of Teheran while living there for a year and a half during her husband’s Boeing assignment in the mid-70s
• Teaching a child to take photos, or a grandchild to sew, or a great grandchild to draw
• Watching her favorite hit musicals on TV and singing along by heart
• Painting en plein air or in her cozy studio
• Cutting an elegant figure on the dance floor up to the last weeks of her life
Jeane is survived by her 4 children Rob, Colleen, Lance and Erin (Wendi), 1 son-in-law, 2 daughters-in-law, 7 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren all of whom reside in the Northwest. Jeane is also survived by her dear friend and companion Robert Hapeman. A private family gathering to celebrate Jeane’s life is being planned for a future date.
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