David Edgar Jeans

David Edgar Jeans was born on April 15, 1936 in Portland, Oregon to parents Clifford Gail Jeans and Ruth Elsie Jeans (nee Selzer). He joined older brothers John and Paul. They grew up on 32nd and Vermont near Gabriel Park, and Dave attended Multnomah elementary school, and eventually Lincoln High school where he graduated in 1954. One of his earliest memories as a small child was being in the barn with his father who was milking the family cow. The candle lamp blew out and his father instructed him to stand still in the dark, while he finished milking before leading him out of the barn.

Following high school graduation, Dave served three years in the Army and was part of the Honor Guard at the Presidio in San Francisco under General Charles Palmer. He recalls his time in the army to include the endless peeling of potatoes.

He attended college at Lewis and Clark in Portland, graduating in 1961 with an education degree while playing football and competing in the high jump on the Track and Field team. It was at college where he met and married Margaret (Peggy) Joanne Johnston at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Portland. He

later obtained a Masters degree in Education from the University of Oregon.

Dave began his 30 year teaching career in 1962 at Cleveland High school in Portland where he taught physical education (PE) and later Health Education. He coached several sports, completing his career as a tennis coach at Cleveland. He also served time as the Athletic Director in the early years. His love of sports and

game carried over to his children when he would bring home old sports equipment from the high school. Hockey on the frozen pond in the winter and tennis on the court he built in the horse pasture were two such sports. There were also the old boxing gloves his children would use to take out their aggressions on one another.

As he approached retirement, Dave took up marathon running and ran the Boston Marathon and several Hood to Coast Relays. Mountain climbing followed and he summitted the peaks of several of the Northwest Mountains. Cycling was next

and he completed many Cycle Oregon trips. As his body started to push back against the strenuous sports, he and Peggy took several leisure cross country ski outings in Oregon and Washington and enjoyed the hiking trails of the Northwest. His fondness of games was evidenced by the family card game nights, the Treasure Hunts he put together for his children on their birthdays and the Country Classic events with the winners signing an old Converse shoe that still hangs in the basement. Well into retirement he continued to play Bridge and Pinochle with his group of friends.

Dave took great pride in the farm, the Lazy J, tending to the Hereford and Scottish Highlander cows, raising chickens, putting up hay in the summer and growing a multitude of Heirloom Apples in his orchard. Each tree was carefully labelled and

his cider press came out every fall for cider making parties. He also grew many varieties of Dahlias and the garden was a palate of color every fall. Church members looked forward to the Sundays he would bring fresh cuttings of the flowers for people to take home and enjoy. Even as his memory began to fail him in recent years, Dave still enjoyed sitting on the back porch of the house he built in the early 1970’s, gazing out at his pond, the gardens and farm.

His greatest accomplishment was the love and devotion he gave his wife Peggy, who passed in September 2025 after 64 years of marriage. He missed her dearly, asking often where she was at. In his final hours he was reaching out, calling for her. He is survived by his daughter Sarah Agsten (Mark) of Roseburg, Mike Jeans

(Tracy) of Sherwood, granddaughters Hannah (Jeans) Fetcher, Maddie and Audrey Jeans and grandson Hunter Agsten.

The family will plan on a later gathering for a memorial hayride down to the lower field of the farm to share memories of his life.