Jeanne Marie Stapp

Jeanne Marie Stapp passed away on September 21st, 2021, in Thousand Oaks, her home for 56 years.

Jeanne was born on January 5th, 1935 in Trenton, New Jersey to Henry and Mary Higby. Along with her older brother Henry, the family moved to Colonial Heights, Virginia when she was 6 years old. They moved again to Chillicothe, Ohio where she attended high school, and then went on to graduate from Ohio University. After college Jeanne was recruited to teach in the Oxnard School District and moved across the country to begin her life on the west coast. Her principle at Kamala Street School, a member of the local Lion’s Club, introduced her to fellow member and her future husband, Tom Stapp (deceased 2012). In 1962 their daughter Karen was born. After a short stint in Los Angeles, the peacefulness and country setting of the small town of Thousand Oaks appealed to the young family. They moved to Thousand Oaks in 1965 and the following year their son Keith was born.

Jeanne was involved in a multitude of local civic and charitable organizations. She was a member of the American Association of University Women, the Symphony Guild, the United Methodist Church, the Conejo Valley Historical Society and Stage Coach Inn Museum, and volunteered at the Thousand Oaks Library. She was a member of the Unification Committee that merged the local school districts into Conejo Valley Unified. She became the first teacher of English as a Second Language in the district, teaching English to Vietnamese and Cambodian refugees from the Vietnam War. She was adamant about bringing arts to the community and proposed a local performing arts center to the Thousand Oaks City Council in 1968. Her dream came true twenty-six years later when the Civic Arts Plaza opened on Thousand Oaks Boulevard. She was a long-time member of the Alliance for the Arts and continued her support for the Civic Arts Plaza as a member of the Arts Commission. In 1998 Jeanne was honored as Dona Triunfo for her extraordinary level of community service.

Jeanne’s daughter Karen and son Keith still reside in the area. Following in her mother’s footsteps, Karen is an elementary school teacher with the Conejo Valley Unified School District. Keith, and Jeanne’s devoted daughter-in-law Susan, gave her three grandkids, Hunter, Quinn, and Paige, whose lives she was actively involved in. She enjoyed babysitting, school plays, youth sports, and watching them splash in the pool. She was a very proud grandma as they each graduated from Thousand Oaks High School and then college. She cherished a long-standing family tradition of spending the Fourth of July at Lake Arrowhead and watching the spectacular fireworks show over the lake. She was a dog lover and was entertained by the antics of her multiple grand pups as they romped through her backyard during family get-togethers every Sunday afternoon. Jeanne and Tom travelled the world together, visiting six continents. They took trips to Europe, China, Africa, Peru, Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands, Mexico, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, and more.

Jeanne was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, friend, and community servant. She will be remembered for her calm and pleasant nature, loving heart, and witty sense of humor.

The family would like to thank Los Robles Regional Medical Center for the exceptional care she received during her final days.

A memorial service for Jeanne will be held at Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks Memorial Park in Westlake on Saturday, October 2nd, at 10:00 A.M.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Cal Farley's Boys Ranch and Girlstown, 600 SW 11th Ave, Amarillo, TX 79101; Casa Pacifica, 1722 South Lewis Road, Camarillo, CA 93012; or Buena Vista Hospice Butterfly Foundation, 2545 W Hillcrest Dr #130, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320.