Jean Holmes

postmaster and his wife. A strong student, she graduated from high school a year early

and went on to earn her teaching degree at Central Michigan, launching a career in

education that would span almost half a century.

She married a young man from Hersey, Ralph Holmes, when he was home from

training pilots in the Army Air Corps during World War II. The happy couple moved from

base to base until the war ended and then landed in Ann Arbor where Ralph earned his

Master’s Degree and Jean began teaching in the Ann Arbor School District at Burns

Park Elementary School. They then lived in Seattle, Birmingham MI, Los Angeles and

Springfield, Ohio before returning to Ann Arbor in the late 60’s, where Jean became a

kindergarten teacher at the newly opened King Elementary School. She loved to teach,

bringing joy and music into the classroom and was fortunate to have taught there for 20

years. In 2017, after her retirement, her classroom was dedicated in her name.

Although she loved helping young children get off to a great start in school, her true

passion was her family. Love, attention and support poured from her to her two sons,

Bill and Jim, and eventually to their spouses, her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

She visited her family often and spoke with both of her sons on the phone daily. Jean

especially enjoyed attending her grandkids’ sporting events and cheering loudly – she

was so proud of them all.

Jean loved long drives through the countryside and just sitting next to a lake or river

watching the boats and eating ice cream. She and Ralph spent many happy weekends

on their boat. A passionate Michigan fan, they were football season ticket holders for

many years and she seldom missed a televised game after going to the game became

too difficult.

Preceded in death by her beloved husband Ralph, Jean is survived by her son Bill and

Deb Holmes (Traverse City), her son Jim and Kris Holmes (St. Louis, MO) and her

grandchildren/great grandchildren Laura Holmes Coleman and Max Coleman

(Chicago), Susan Holmes and Rich Ecker, Will Ecker and Josie Jean Ecker (Itasca, IL),

and Jessica and Brian Key (Mesa, AZ), Katie Holmes (Santa Monica, CA), Davey

Holmes (Seattle, WA) and Sam Holmes (Williamstown, MA) Jean was deeply loved by

many family pets over the years and is survived by family dogs Skip, Tuck, and Clancy

and cat Stripes.

A short memorial will be held at Glacier Hills Senior Living Community in Ann Arbor on

Saturday, April 19 at 11:00 a.m. followed by a light luncheon. In lieu of flowers, the

family asks that donations be made to the Jean Holmes Scholarship Fund, c/o King

Elementary School, 3800 Waldenwood Dr. Ann Arbor, MI 48105.