Jean Mary Rounds

August 12, 1940 - June 8, 2025

Benicia, California - It is with great sadness we share the passing of Jean Mary (Gibbons) Rounds. She left us peacefully on June 8, 2025, at the age of 84. Jean was born on August 12, 1940, in Medford, Oregon. In 1950, her family moved to Roseburg, Oregon to start a finance company. To make the move more palatable, her father bought Jean her first horse, leading to a lifelong love of Tennessee Walking horses. She owned several throughout her life.

Jean attended Roseburg High School where she was a cheerleader and dipped her toe in singing and acting. After high school, Jean went to Stephen's College, an all-girls school in Columbia, Missouri. After two years, Jean returned to Oregon to attend Willamette University, where she received her bachelor's degree and continued to pursue her love of singing and acting. At Willamette, she starred in several musicals and was a proud Delta Gamma sorority sister.

Jean was a beloved kindergarten teacher for 35 years and many ex-students remember Mrs. Rounds with fond memories. First at Pasadena Avenue Elementary School and then Ottoman Way Elementary School, both in the Sacramento area. If she could not be a professional singer and actress, being a kindergarten teacher was the absolute best job she could have had. The students were her audience, and Mrs. Rounds was the star of the show. She was known for playing the piano and singing to her students. From songs greeting them in the morning, lining up for class, cleaning up, working nicely, and even pushing in their chairs, everything was a show tune she created in the moment.

Jean was a member of the Sacramento Choral, sang opera and had the opportunity to work with the Dave Brubeck Band and Jester Hairston when they visited Sacramento. She participated in the Folsom Lake Mounted Patrol, and was a volunteer with the Folsom Police Department where she was named Volunteer of the Year. Jean enjoyed many cruises and trips with her friends and family. She was a loving mother and grandmother who will always be remembered for making us laugh until we cried with her silliness, and, of course, for her love of margaritas, cosmos, and champagne. She loved a party and loved to be the life of the party!

Jean is survived by her daughter, Meagan (John) Donahue, her son, Chris (Athena) Rounds, her three grandsons, Matt, Mike and Mark Donahue, and several nephews. She was preceded in death by her father, Glen Arthur "Mike" Gibbons, her mother, Selma "Sally" (Colbourn) Gibbons, her sister, Virginia (Gibbons) McKay and her brother in law, Harold "Del" McKay. Burial will be private at Roseburg Memorial gardens, Roseburg, Oregon. Arrangements are under the direction of Passalacqua Funeral Chapel Benicia. Please visit the online tribute at ww.passalacquafuneralchapel.com.

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Published by The Sacramento Bee from Jun. 26 to Jun. 29, 2025.

Memories and Condolences
for Jean Rounds

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6 Entries

Mary Lagomarsino

August 10, 2025

What to say about such a special and talented friend and fellow educator?! I met Jean when my father was the principal at Pasadena school and I was starting a performing arts group there. We worked together for MANY MANY years with our two children's performing groups, Showstoppers and Highlights and it was such a joy to spend countless hours singing with her and what came to total thousand of children over the years. Most summers we worked together at performing arts summer programs and all who knew her were truly blessed by her joyful and fun loving manner and her immense talent. She was an amazing woman and my life would not have been the same without her in it.

Robin Christensen

June 27, 2025

I also remember taking naps on our towels and getting stars on our foreheads for being good. After rereading her obituary I do remember playing with tambourines, wooden sticks and maracas. Very friendly good teacher. Loved her

Robin Christensen

June 27, 2025

Mrs Rounds was a great kindergarten teacher. I also remember her as Mrs. del Gado.?? She taught myself, brother and possibly my younger brothers and sister. Pasadena was a great school. I´m sorry to hear of her passing. I´m sure she´ll be missed. Sincerely, Robin Christensen 1974

Erin Kennedy

June 27, 2025

Mrs. Rounds was my kindergarten teacher and one of my favorite and most impactful "grown ups" of my youth! (And my grandparents sang with her in the Sacramento Chorale.) I so fondly remember her singsong voice (for even when she simply spoke, it was musical) and her fluttering eyelashes whenever she was being coy. ;) She was a wonderful human and I send my deepest condolences to her family.

Pam Peacock

June 27, 2025

Oh dear Jeannie! How fortunate were we to have you in our lives. The best Kinder teacher for both our daughters (Pasadena School) to give them such a positive beginning to their school experience. Working in your classroom was a joy. Years later I had the privilege of working as secretary at Ottomon and there you were-as the Kinder teacher. We became good friends. Bette and I visited your home post retirement in Tucson; you were an incredible hostess. Tour guide, laughs, food-you missed nothing. Thank you, Jean, for walking across my life (and those of all your students). I know the many extras you took for all. You are loved

Passalacqua Funeral Chapel

June 26, 2025

Offering our deepest condolences during this difficult time.

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