Jean Hamblet

(Mary) Jean (nee DeYoung) Hamblet passed away peacefully at the age of 94 while living at Eagan Pointe Senior Living in Eagan, Minnesota. Jean was born in Bozeman, Montana, on April 12, 1930, to William and Alta (Snow) DeYoung.
Jean attended the University of Wisconsin (Madison), graduating in 1952 with a B.S. from the School of Home Economics with an emphasis on merchandising. She was a proud member of Pi Beta Phi sorority. While at the University of Wisconsin, she met the love of her life, a graduate student named Robert ("Bob") Hamblet from North Tonawanda, New York. While dating, Jean and Bob sang together in the University Presbyterian Church (Pres House) choir. In 1952, Jean and Robert were married there, on the campus of the University of Wisconsin.
Jean and Bob moved first to Lincoln, Nebraska, where Jean took a job in the advertising department of Miller & Paine Department Store. It was in Lincoln that they started a family, giving birth to a son, Gary, and a daughter, Kathi. In 1955, Jean and Bob moved to Grand Island, Nebraska, where they added two daughters, Kris and Karla, and built their first home.
In 1964, Jean and Bob, together with their four children, moved to Grand Forks, North Dakota, where Bob studied to obtain a Master's Degree in Guidance and Counseling. Upon graduation, Jean and Bob moved to Fargo, North Dakota, where their youngest child, Kelley, was born.
In 1973, Jean was hired by Longfellow School in Fargo. She worked in the library there for 14 years until her retirement in 1987.
Jean was passionate about travel, service to others, and lifelong learning. Jean was active in the First Presbyterian Church, singing in the choir and serving over the years in the roles of Elder and as chairperson of the Board of Deacons. She participated in a mission to Kenya and organized trips of women to help build homes in San Miguel de Allende with the organization Casita Linda. Jean wrote that these were life-changing experiences for her.
In 1983, Jean joined an educational mission trip to Central America (Mexico, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica) to learn about our country's role in the situation there and to explore the role the church could play in seeking justice and better living conditions for the people there. When she returned, she spoke out about her experiences and was active in sharing what she learned with others.
Living out her values of service and lifelong learning, Jean served for six years on the Board of Directors of the Dorothy Day Center in Moorhead, MN (a homeless shelter), and regularly participated in providing meals as part of that center's mission. She also participated in a women's Round Table group that researched and presented topics of historical and cultural significance.
Jean was passionate about travel and its importance in nurturing a tolerance toward other cultures. She and Bob traveled all over the world and always returned with enthusiastic praise for the people they met and the new cultures they encountered. She instilled these values in her children and grandchildren.
In 2020, after Bob passed away, Jean moved to Eagan Pointe Senior Living in Eagan, Minnesota, in order to be closer to family. She enjoyed living at Eagan Pointe and was active in recruiting other residents to attend happy hours in the common area.
A Celebration of Life will be held on September 28, 2024 at 4:00 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church in Fargo.
Jean is survived by her children, all of whom are thriving because of her love and guidance: Gary (Gail) Hamblet of Manhattan Beach, CA, Kathi Hamblet of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, Kris Cropsey of Minneapolis, MN, Karla (Bob) Talavera of Canyon Country, CA, and Kelley (Doug) Switzer-DeMars of Orlando, FL; She has eight beloved grandchildren: Sarah (Matt) Breismeister, Shauna (Josh) Dean, Tyler Cropsey, Bobby (Cristi) Hamblet, Cameron (Addy) Cropsey, Garrett Cropsey, Mikayla Switzer, and Jacoby Switzer; and three beloved great grandchildren: Saylor Dean, William Breismeister, and Caden Cropsey.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to CasitaLinda: https://casitalinda.org