Jean L. Koebbe

Jean L. Koebbe, wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, passed away peacefully on March 5, 2025, at the age of 95. Born on March 18, 1929, in Hackensack, MN, she grew up with a passion for gardening, a skill she learned alongside her mother. Jean's journey took her from the small town of Hackensack to St. Xavier, MT, where she met and married Joseph Koebbe. Their marriage lasted 60 years until Joe passed away.
After having five children, the couple bought a flower shop, which turned out to be a labor of love for Jean. We all have memories of buckets of dirt sterilized in the oven, taking orders over the phone for Mother's Day and Memorial Day, pinning corsages and boutonnieres at weddings. She nurtured bedding plants for summer planting, tomatoes, petunias and geraniums, were her favorites. Every year there were benches filled with poinsettias at Christmas and Easter lilies at Easter.
Music was a big part of Jean's life. Before finding her way to Montana, Jean embarked on an adventure to the Northwest, and in Seattle attended inspiring live concerts, including Marian Anderson singing opera and Vladimir Horowitz playing piano. Jean played the organ for St. Joseph's Catholic Church for 25 years and sang in the choir for some years before that. Often, we would hear her playing piano and singing at home.
Jean was a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church for as long as she was able to attend Mass, participating in the Catholic Daughters and the Alter Society, helping to make breakfasts and cleaning the altar.
One of Jean's favorite pastimes was bridge. Couples bridge, foursomes, bridge every Friday afternoon with Aunt Peg, Marlene and Madeline, bridge with the Crazy Eight group. Jean and her regular foursome have been frequently called card sharks, something confirmed by several people that played against them.
Jean also dedicated her time volunteering at the Big Horn County Museum. She was delighted when she could share which country guests were from and how she was able to steer people in the right direction or suggest a better route to explore Montana.
Jean is preceded in death by her parents, Kenneth Snowden and Anna Forbes, husband Joe, brothers (Milo, Harold, Cliff, Bud and Kenneth) and sisters (Genevive, Helen, Jerry, and Vera), and her son, Mark. Jean is survived by her son, Joe (Nan), grandchildren, Erin (Nick), Nate, Haley, Paige (Tanner), Quinn, daughters Chris (Greg, deceased), grandchildren Kyle (Heather), Leanne, Janean and Julie (Matthew, deceased), and 18 great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Big Horn County Museum or to St. Joseph's Catholic Church.
Rosary will be recited at 9:00AM, June 7, 2025 followed by the Memorial service at 10:00AM at St. Joseph's Catholic Church.