Jean Bybee

She was born in Pendleton, Oregon on February 9, 1919. Her family moved to Walla Walla, Washington soon after, where she went to primary and secondary school. She was the Valedictorian at Green Park Grade School, and was a member of the National Honor Society in high school. Whitman College was her first year of college in 1936-37, before moving to Portland with her parents and sister, Mildred. She attended St. Helen's Junior Hall in Portland for 1 year and then worked as an Assistant Legal Secretary and then a clerk\typist for the Civil Service (CAF-2 and CAF-3) during the final year of the war. During the war, she found herself employed at Torney General Hospital. She was also President of the Civilian Employees Club in Palm Springs, California. After the War, she then attended Portland State University, earning her B.A., while also working part-time as a legal secretary. For 14 years, she was employed by Black, Kendall, Tremaine, Boothe & Higgins, a legal firm in Portland. She earned her teaching degree at night school through Portland State and then taught at Marshall High School for one year. She then returned to being a legal secretary for nine years with Hardy, Buttler, McEwen, Weiss & Newman.

All the time of her employment, she enjoyed being a member of various clubs, such as the Oregon Ceramic Studio, and American Association of University Women. She sang in the Portland Civic Opera and the Episcopalian Church Choir; was a member of the Portland Dahlia Society, and finally Jean was a longstanding member of the Multnomah Athletic Club. Under MAC, she enjoyed a long friendship with the Mello Macs, the singing group of up to 100 members, since 1962. She enjoyed traveling and performing with the group, and after 35 years of service, she was awarded, 'The Jean Bybee Award' for dedicated service.

In all her years and endeavors, she was a faithful daughter to her parents, Volney and Pearl (Burton) Bybee and sister Mildred (Bybee) Hewitt. She found single life to her liking, having never married. Her surviving nieces are Sara (Hewitt) Kocher of Portland, Oregon and Virginia (Hewitt) Erlandsen of Sandy, Oregon. Nephews are Douglas Hewitt of Sandy, Oregon and Donald Hewitt, presently residing in Germany.

Arrangements are under the care of Gateway Little Chapel of the Chimes, Portland, Oregon.