Jean O. Michael

A memorial service will be held Wednesday, July 10th, 2024 from 2-3 pm at Waverly Chapel, Fairhaven Memorial Park, 1702 Fairhaven Ave, Santa Ana, CA 92706. Reception to follow.

In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to the charity of your choice.

Born in Avondale, Arizona in 1925, Jean moved with her family to the Yuma Valley in Arizona and briefly to Arkansas, before settling in California where she graduated from Fresno Technical High School in 1942. While in school, Jean excelled in business courses and landed her first secretarial job out of high school with the Fuller Paint Company in downtown Los Angeles.

She continued her secretarial career at the Kaiser Steel Mill in Fontana, Richard Gird Elementary School in Chino, and with several private attorneys. She retired from the Orange County Teachers Credit Union in 1982.

Jean married Wilford M. Michael, Jr (former president and superintendent of Cerritos College) in 1948. They celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in 2018 shortly before his death. In retirement, both remained active with the Cerritos College Foundaton, Bellflower Rotary Club, and the Pacers Walking Group. They traveled throughout the world making friends wherever they went. Jean counted walking the Great Wall of China when she was 80 as one of the highlights of their travel adventures.

Both she and her husband were devout Christians and were active members of Pomona First Baptist Church, the First Baptist Church of Santa Ana, and Calvary Church.

She is survived by her two daughters, Deborah Sherry (Tom) and Marcia Totten and two grandchildren, Amanda Totten and Ethan Totten (Bethany).