A loving reunion took place the evening of February 5, 2021 as our mother, Jean Dewey, crossed through the veil and into the arms of our father. After missing him for over 20 years, they are reunited again.

Jean Elizabeth Krause was born August 25, 1930 in Long Beach, California to Ethel Sagers and Edmund Krause. She grew up in California and attended school there. She attended BYU after graduating and was a Cougarette. She married Jack Lathrop of Seattle in 1952. Together they graduated from Washington State University in 1954 with Jean graduating Magna Cum Laude and voted one of the ten most outstanding women on campus. They had four children. Jean later earned her Reading Specialist Certificate from the University of Washington. She loved teaching school for several years in Port Angeles, Washington. Their marriage ended in divorce.

In 1969 Jean married the love of her life, Richard Dewey, of Port Orchard, Washington. They combined his eight children with her four and she became the instant mother of 12 and the grandmother of 3. Together they began rearing ten children between 9 and 17. She counted this feat as one of her greatest accomplishments.

In 1972, Jean and Dick moved their family to Orem to facilitate their children attending BYU. She was a much-loved instructor at Utah Valley University and earned her master's degree at Utah State University during this time. She became the first woman in Utah to receive her Master's Degree in Industrial and Technical Education.

In later years, she and Dick retired and served a leadership mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Vancouver, Canada. Both loved their time visiting and reactivating. She served in many ward and stake callings.

Following their mission, they retired to Ivins, Utah where they lived until Dick's death in 2000. Jean then moved to American Fork to live closer to family. At the time of her death, she was living at Summerfield Retirement Community in Orem, Utah where she had many sweet and loving friends.

Jean's motto was "I Walk by Faith" but her life also exemplified "Doubt Not, Fear Not". Her feet were firmly planted on the Gospel path with a strong testimony and a great desire to be reunited with her eternal sweetheart.

Her mind was sharp until the end and she could readily recall dates, names and events. She had a passion for learning and even when she lost her eyesight a few years ago and could no longer read, she would spend hours laying in her recliner listening to her books on tape and learning about people, places and history. She loved reading the scriptures also.

Jean loved to travel and visited Europe which included traveling behind the Iron Curtain, Egypt, and Israel. She traveled the Alaska Highway and throughout the United States.

She was affectionately called "The Energizer Bunny" because she was always up for an adventure with the grandkids: camping, fishing, swim parties, girl's nights out, or just a Sunday dinner get together. She considered a few of her favorite adventures to be touring a goldmine in Alaska, riding a camel in Egypt, exploring Lake Powell in a houseboat and jumping on a plane to Hawaii spur of the moment to pick up a newly adopted great granddaughter.

She made friends wherever she lived and had many lifelong friendships. She was a champion for anyone struggling with disabilities, language barriers or abusive situations. She knitted intricate sweaters and doll clothes, created beautiful quilts, crocheted dozens of leper bandages, and sewed prom dresses for her daughters and Christmas pajamas for the whole family. We will never see red pajamas without remembering the year she made the whole family matching sleepwear which turned sheets and laundry pink for months.

She loved to decorate her home, do family history and plan events. She readily served wherever she was needed whether teaching 8-year-olds while in her 80s, singing in the choir even when she could no longer sing due to multiple throat surgeries, or planning a conference for thousands of women. She loved roses. Dick planted 27 rose bushes while they lived in Ivins and she would take bouquets to those she visited while serving as a Relief Society President. She was a diligent ministering sister up until the end.

She was always found to be stylishly dressed complete with accessories, make up and beautifully styled hair. She was one classy lady!

She suffered debilitating pain for decades due to a serious car accident, yet it rarely deterred her from living a full life of activities and serving others.

Family was very important to her. She grew up with grandparents living across the street and many cousins, aunts and uncles close by. She tried hard to blend two families and she considered each of them her children. She saved every single letter Dick or any of the children wrote to her.

Her favorite memories of the past year were phone calls from family and friends and she loved to hear about their lives and the grandchildren's activities. We are grateful for the time we could spend with her before her passing. We feel blessed by her influence and faith.

Our sincere appreciation goes to her hospice nurse, Nate, from Envision Homecare who facilitated a peaceful passing where she could be surrounded by her loved ones.

She leaves behind Connie Nerdin of Walla Walla, Washington; Bill and Janene Dewey of Reeds Spring, Missouri; Betty and Mike Dial of Port Orchard, Washington; Tracey Lathrop of Killeen, Texas; Patty Dewey, Utah; Shannon and Gary Thorne, Orem, Utah; Merry Christen, Temecula, California; Bill and Kellie Lathrop of North Pole, Alaska; Dave and Jo Dewey of Decatur, Illinois; Julie Rollins of Craig, Colorado; and Marc Dewey of Cabot, Arkansas. She also has 54 grandchildren and a whole lot of great grandchildren! She was preceded in death by her husband, Dick; son, Steve Lathrop; sons-in-law Jim Nerdin and Steve Christen; granddaughter, Ruth Ann Dewey; and great grandson, Laredo Pickens.

Jean supported several charities. KSL Quarters for Christmas, the local food bank, Wounded Warriors and the LDS Humanitarian programs. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in her memory to your favorite charity.

Graveside services will be held Thursday, February 11, 2021 at 11:00 a.m.at the Ivins City Cemetery, 200 West 400 North, Ivins, Utah. A visitation will be held Thursday, prior to services, from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at Metcalf Mortuary, 288 West St. George Blvd., St. George, Utah.

** Masks are required for those attending services.