Jean M. Eskridge

August 23, 1917 - May 1, 2012

Jean was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan to William Squire Loomis and Mary Anacletis Kirchoff Loomis. Jean is predeceased by her husband, Calvin Valjean Eskridge, her long time companion, Howard Freeman, her daughter, Georgie, and her parents, and sisters, Fran White and Billie Blanton.

Jean is survived by her sons, David Walter (Nancy), Jay (Ellen), Jack (Carolann), Valjean Eskridge (Cathy), and her daughter, Suzanne Mollenhauer (Brad), 16 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren and 8 great-great-grandchildren. As a young girl, Jean traveled with her family from Grand Rapids, Michigan to Los Angeles, back and forth at least 3 times from 1923 to 1933, looking for work during the depression era. As a very young girl, Jean would dance at fairs and carnivals for money tossed from the crowd to help with the family income.

Jean owned and operated Jean’s Dance Studio in Spring Valley from 1948 to 1987. Her daughter, Suzanne, took over the studio, but Jean kept teaching part time for 8 more years. Jean stayed very active all of her life. She was a lifetime member of NADA (National Association of Dance Artists), past president of the Spring Valley Women’s Club, a charter member of the Spring Valley Historical Society, a past board member of the Spring Valley Chamber of Commerce, and Ramona Ramblers. Jean loved her active life in Ramona. She would attend church & Bible study 2 to 3 times a week, feed the ducks after Sunday church, and go to lunch at the Ramona Senior Center on Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays. She played canasta on Monday & Friday afternoons with her pals at the Ramona Terrace Estates clubhouse and attended the Friday evening dances at the clubhouse, dancing every dance. Jean started a dance group in the mid 1990s at the clubhouse, which was made up of the lady residents. The gals would entertain the other residents on a regular basis. She loved watching old movies and Judge Judy. Jean loved everyone and everyone loved her. She never had a bad thing to say about anything or anyone. She was the most positive person on this earth and never complained. She would always end her letters with; “I FEEL GOOD, EAT GOOD, SLEEP GOOD, AND I LOOK GOOD”.

Visitation will be on Tuesday, May 8, 2012 from 4 – 7 p.m. at Conrad Lemon Grove Mortuary. Funeral Service will be on Wednesday, May 9, 2012 – 12 noon at Greenwood Memorial Park Garden Chapel (I-805 and Imperial Avenue – 4300 Imperial Avenue – San Diego, CA 92113). Entombment will follow the service in Greenwood Bible Mausoleum.

Memorials in Jean's name may be made to the Ramona Senior Center - 434 Aqua Lane - Ramona, CA 92065 (760-789-0440), where Jean enjoyed meeting up with friends and of course Dancing.