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Jean King Obituary
On Saturday, July 25, 2020, Jean Clay King passed away peacefully at the age of 92, knowing she was loved and listening to Frank Sinatra. Jean was born on January 2, 1928 in Paterson, New Jersey, to Dr. Thomas Clay, and Muriel Clay and had one sister, Mary Tomfohrde. Jean attended Skidmore College and married Warren J. King, who attended MIT and was also from Paterson, N.J. They lived most of their life in Winnetka, Illinois and Rancho Mirage, California and had three children, Clay, Joanne, and Mary. Jean traveled the world and 49 of the 50 states with Warren, and after his death in 1996, she continued her travels with friends. Jean volunteered for many organizations, was an avid Cubs fan and was thrilled when they won the World Series. Jean also loved music, including the Chicago Symphony, Frank Sinatra, and often surprised her grandchildren by knowing the latest music of Lady Gaga and others. She lived as a very independent woman throughout her life, until last year when she moved to San Diego, California to an assisted living facility near her son and son in law. She is survived by her children, their spouses, Iain King, Andy Gersten, and Dan Beaton, her four grandchildren, Ben and Sarah Gersten, Alex and Chris Beaton, and their spouses and partners, Logan Place, Jill Molina, and Meredith Gorman. Jean will live on through her family as she passed down her volunteerism, care giving nature, and her healthcare profession to both of her daughters who are nurses, her son a social worker married to a nurse, and her eldest grandchild a physician's assistant. The rest of her family inherited her love for the ocean, literature, politics and social justice. Jean's incredibly sharp intellect, dry sense of humor, dignity, grace and generosity will be deeply missed by all that knew her.
Jean and Warren established a scholarship fund at MIT, which yearly supports a student in need. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to MIT, to the Warren J. and Jean C. King Scholarship Fund by using the following link https://giving.mit.edu/jean-king or by calling Bonny Kellermann, at 617-429-9860
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
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