Dorothy Jean Eason

Jean was born Dorothy Jean Goodner on May 24, 1932, in Rocky Ford, CO, to Gladys (Jensen) and Theodore Chritton Goodner. Raised in the small farm town of Rocky Ford in the Arkansas River valley of southeast Colorado, Jean's father ran the family business, manufacturing and installing agricultural irrigation pumping systems. Jean was an outstanding high school student, going on to college at the University of Missouri-Columbia, where she graduated with an AB in English and Psychology (1954), followed by an MA in Psychology (1956). There she met, and in 1952, married Robert "Bob" Eason. In 1956, as Bob also received his professional degree, they had a son and the family moved to California, soon settling in San Diego where their daughter was born two years later. Jean went about raising the family while also being very active in local issues, eventually serving as President of the San Diego

League of Women Voters.

In 1967 the Eason family relocated to Greensboro as Bob accepted a faculty position at UNCG. Jean soon found a role for herself as well at the university with multiple positions focusing on women's and adult education programs; she was Director of Continuing Education for Women, Director of the Office for Adult Students, Director of Continuing Education, and, ultimately, the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs during her lengthy university career. While at UNCG, Jean received the prestigious honor to serve as a University of NC Public Service Fellow during the 1980-81 academic year, working from the Office of the President of the UNC system in Raleigh. While still working, she continued her own education, earning a Doctorate in Education from UNCG in 1974 and an MA from Duke in Public Policy Studies (1983).

Jean’s passion for adult education continued to be the focus of her working years. In 1987, after leaving university work, she became the Executive Director of the Shepherd’s Center, a non-profit whose aim is to organize older adult volunteers to help each other maintain independent and active lifestyles. Once retired from Shepherd’s Center more than a decade later, Jean continued volunteering and she and Bob taught computer skills to seniors. They then moved to the Friends Homes at Guilford in 2004. Never one to rest, she volunteered to edit the community newsletter for a number of years.

Jean is survived by her loving husband of 69 years, Bob, her beloved Siamese cat Tai, her son Greg Eason and wife Reyna Simon of Los Gatos, CA, her daughter Linda Goff and husband Andrew of Greensboro, and her granddaughter Sarah Goff Eldridge and husband Luke of Portland, OR. She is also survived by her brother Ted Goodner (and wife CJ) of Lamar, CO, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Should friends and family desire to donate in Jean’s memory, suggestions for causes meaningful to her and the family include Shepherd’s Center of Greensboro, 302 West Market Street, #103, Greensboro, NC 27401, the ASPCA, PO Box 96929, Washington, DC 20090 and AuthoraCare (Hospice) of Greensboro, 2500 Summit Avenue, Greensboro, NC 27405.