Virginia Lee Jorgenson

“Jean” Jorgensen passed into heaven’s realm on September 22, 2025. Born Virginia Lee Davis on September 14, 1930, in Albuquerque, New Mexico to parents Esther Winsor Davis and Elmer Davis. Jean grew up on the Winsor Guest Ranch at Cowles, NM, which dates to a homestead established by her grandfather Henry Winsor in the 1890s. There at the edge of the Pecos Wilderness in the Santa Fe National Forest, Jean thrived by way of lively outdoor adventure and the doting attention of several close relatives living in the area.

Jean adored the mountains, as did her parents, who took her on her first overnight pack trip at the age of nine months, nestled securely inside a saddle bag. Her upbringing in the northern New Mexico mountains found her riding her horse to the local schoolhouse at the age of six and guiding week-long pack trips for guests of the ranch by the age of twelve. She could be found sliding down pine needle covered hills on sleds in the summertime with her two younger brothers, “Joe” and “Bobby”, and sitting around the campfire with guests of the ranch singing and listening to ghost stories. Jean spent most of her early school years living with relatives or boarding in schools in Albuquerque, Las Vegas and Santa Fe NM, coming home to the mountains for holidays and summers. In 1943, she and her brothers boarded a train to Glendale, CA to join their mother, a riveter for Lockheed during World War II. While in California, Jean fell in love with the ocean and fashion, and graduated from Burbank high school in 1946, a year earlier than her peers at the age of 16. When the war was over, she and her family returned home to New Mexico, where she attended secretarial school in Santa Fe and worked at Mountain Bell as an operator. In 1948, she met Philip Jorgensen, and they married in 1949. Jean had three children, Robert Neale Jorgensen, Esther Elizabeth “Libby” Jorgensen Mims (Joe) and Jennifer Lee Jorgensen, residing with Phil in Albuquerque and Santa Fe. She was a fiercely devoted mother and in early 1970, she moved to Albuquerque with her children, where she purchased a house and began working a full-time job, determined to make a beautiful home for her family in an era where being a single mother and soul breadwinner was rare. Jean took evening classes to earn her certificate to become a full-charge bookkeeper and worked for many years at Universal Construction until her retirement in 2001. She enjoyed travel with her children, mother and friends all over the United States, Europe and Canada. In 1986, Jean built a townhome where she resided until 2020 and spent time hosting holidays, birthdays and special celebrations, especially with her five grand-children Joshua Pilon (Tiffany), Connor Jorgensen (Celia), “Trey” Mims (Andrea), Jenna Stephens (Ryan), and Logan Mims. Later, she enjoyed special moments with her six great-grand-children Jacob and Nathan Pilon, Adelaide and Alister Stephens, and Ansel and “Winnie” Mims. Jean’s favorite activities were traveling, gardening in her lovingly landscaped yard, and devotedly serving her church community at St John’s United Methodist Church. In 2020, Jean moved to San Angelo, Texas to be closer to her daughter, Libby, and transitioned to Baptist Retirement Community. During that time, she was able to visit her beloved New Mexico mountains each summer at the Mims/Jorgensen family cabins on Grass Mountain, not far from where she grew up. Jean had a long and blessed life, overcoming many challenges through her faith, courage and tenacity and building a life full of joy and laughter with the people she loved best in all the world, her family and friends.

Jean Jorgensen was preceded in death by her cherished grandmother Flora Ball Winsor, brother Robert Davis, beloved aunt Ruth Winsor Morse, Philip Jorgensen, brother Joseph Davis, and Mother Esther Winsor Von Wolff. A memorial service will be held in the spring at St. John’s UMC in Albuquerque NM.