Jean L Dolan

Please view video tribute available online after completion, at a later date.Jean Landon Dolan, born Shirley Jean Landon on January 29, 1932 in Janesville, Wisconsin died Sunday, April 12, 2009 in Lebanon, Illinois where she had spent the last few months of her life.

Jean married James O. Johnson in January 1954 in Galesburg, Illinois and the couple raised four daughters, Jamie (Hester McCosh) Johnson Ziegler of Chillichothe, IL, Janet (Duane Easery) Johnson of Raleigh, NC, Jennifer (Tony) Peach of Shiloh, IL, and Julie (Chris Benjamin) Johnson of Meritta, GA. She later married John Dolan in January 1980 welcoming a step-son J. Michael Dolan. Her sister, Joyce (Dave) Goff of Galesburg also survives.

She was preceded in death by both Jim and John as well as her parents Clyde R. and Desdemona D. Landon and one sister, Joan C. (Fred) McGahey.

Grandma Dolan to six: Tom Dolan, Drew Ziegler, John Wittle, Beth Dolan, Julia Peach, Sam Peach; two great-grand daughters: Ashely and Stephanie Dolan as well as three nieces, three nephews. And several great nieces and nephews.

A 1949 graduate of Galesburg High School and a graduate of Western Illinois University (McComb) where she earned both bachelors and master's degrees “Ms. J” was a favorite teacher in Galesburg schools particularly Silas Willard and finally Gale Middle School where she loved her sixth grade science classroom. She joined the Girl Scouts as a child and stayed active for more than 40 years-as a troop leader, neighborhood chairman and finally a camp director for the Shabonee Council.

After retirement, Jean and John traveled and spent many summers camping and fishing with their grandchildren. She was an avid bridge player and was a volunteer for the Carl Sandburg College Literacy Society where she taught adults to read and later specialized in helping foreign nurses become proficient in English so that they could nurse in the United States.

Jean remained best friends with her sister, Joyce and with several of their GHS friends who formed “The Nifty Nine” and vacationed together once their children were grown.

A memorial service is being planned at Hinchcliff Pearson West in Galesburg with a date yet to be set. A virtual memorial is being arranged by her nephew, Dean Goff at the Preston Hanley Funeral Home in Pekin where photos of her life will be available for viewing online pending completion of video.The family asks that in lieu of flowers donations be made to the Carl Sandburg College Literacy Society.