Jean Isabella Iverson
August 20, 1916 - January 2, 2010
Obituary
A MUSE-ING STORY
Jean Hatch Iverson, age 93, died peacefully on Saturday, January 2, 2010 at Highline Community Hospital in Burien, Washington.
Born in Canada, she came to Western Washington with her parents, Chuck and Toddy Hatch, and older sister, Kath. The family moved frequently during her early life in order for her parents to find jobs as schoolteachers. While living in Sumner, brother Bill was born, and the family survived the year in spite of the fact that he was a blue baby and Chuck and Toddy were both ill. Subsequently, they lived in Lester, High Point, Vashon Island, and Bellevue, where Jean graduated from high school at age16. She went on to attend college at Bellingham Normal School, now known as Western Washington University, where she not only earned her teaching certificate, but also met and later married her husband Art Iverson, who died unexpectedly in 1965. Jean persevered another 44 years alone, but not without an amazing grace and dedication to her profession and family.
Her first teaching assignment was at Lake Stevens, a one room K-12 school. Following a hiatus to raise a family of four, she worked for Boeing and then returned to teaching in the Highline Public School District. She later earned a Master of Education degree from Seattle Pacific University and worked as a language consultant for Highline District before retiring from teaching in 1976.
Over the years she became the matriarchal Muse of the Iverson clan, passing to her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren many of her characteristic qualities and pursuits. She was a teacher, a student, a lover of learning, an artist and sculptor, a singer, a composer, a poet, a worker in stained glass, a traveler and a writer. Many of her family members have followed in her footsteps and have taken up a variety of the pastimes and professions she held dear.
In addition to her love of the arts, she was a true example of peaceable living and dreaming big. She was the eternal optimist, happy of heart, maintaining a positive attitude even when she recognized she was losing her memory to dementia. She was able to laugh at her own foibles, smile, enjoy life, look for goodness, avoid criticism, and accept others as they were. She was a gracious lady ready to give a thank you or helping hand. She continued taking classes long after retirement for the sheer joy of knowing and trying new things, including foreign languages to enhance her travel experiences.
Jean made it to all seven continents in her world travels, a goal she had set for herself once she retired from teaching, a feat few can claim. She loved every moment of her travels, meeting new people, looking up her ancestry and seeing the sights. After returning from her many adventures she spent time painting scenes from all her destinations from Europe, China, Egypt, Antarctica, Canada, Alaska, New Zealand, Australia, Peru or wherever she set foot.
As a charter member of Artists United, she helped establish a local art colony in the Burien area and was one of four artists who painted a mural of Old Burien. She was also a member of the artists’ group PADS. She was a member of the Seattle Madrigal Society, part of the Burien Workshop Theater participating in some of their locally presented plays and musicals, was a choir member at Lake Burien Presbyterian Church where she composed a Christmas song they performed for the congregation.
At the time of her passing she was surrounded by her four children: Jan, Judy, Nick and Kris, four of her 11 surviving grandchildren: Jesse, Steve, Julie and Amy, and two of the 11 surviving great-grandchildren: Christian and Ari. Her two daughters-in-law: Joanne and Ro were at her bedside along with granddaughter-in-law Monica and grandson-in-law George.
In addition to her four children, she is survived by son-in-law, Don; daughters-in-law: Joanne and Ro; grandchildren: Jerry and wife Carla, Joan and husband Mark, Jesse and wife Karin, Eric and wife Merilee, Steve and wife Monica, Jack, Julie and husband George, Tina, Amy, Erica and Nick, and great-grandchildren: Ben, Kirsten, Emily, Jordan, Cameron, Jackie, Christian, Colin, Annika, Emily Rose and Ari.
A celebration of Jean’s life will be held in the summer though plans have yet to be finalized by her son, Dr. Nichol T. Iverson. Remembrances may be sent to your favorite charity in the spirit of Jean’s philosophy of life. Jean is and will be missed.
Pre-deceasing her were her great-grandson, Brian Shawn Mills and grandson, Jeffrey Paul Mills.