Jeanne Elberta Tibbets

Jeanne was born on May 10, 1935 to Elbert “Duke” Blower and Juliane Kirstine Nissen in Santa Ana, California. Along with her parents, brother Phil and sister Judy, Jeanne was part of a large close-knit and loving extended family of Blower and Nissen relatives. Her grandparents were emigrants, and she was extremely proud of her Danish and English heritage. She attended school in Santa Ana, graduating from Santa Ana High School and Santa Ana College. While working at the fabric counter at Newbury’s in Santa Ana, she met Art, the love of her life, and they were married on March 20, 1954.

Jeanne worked for the State of California for almost 40 years, starting in the Highway Patrol, and then went on to have a very successful career with the Department of Motor Vehicles, where she rose through the ranks to management. After retirement, Jeanne and Art travelled the US in their RV, and travelled overseas with friends and family. She was blessed with a wonderful circle of friends, who were a very important part of her life.

An unfailingly loving wife, mother, daughter, sister and aunt, she was a wonderful, loving mother to Mark and Jeff, and balanced work with motherhood in a time when it was not common. She loved being a grandmother, and was a huge part of her grandsons’ lives.

Preceded in death by Art, her husband of 59 years in 2013, and by her parents and brother Phil, Jeanne is survived by her sons Mark (Julie) and Jeff (Chantell), her grandsons Kyle (Catie) and Kirk, Colby (Evi) and Brandon, her great-grandchildren Aubrey, Grant and Vera, her sister Judy, nieces, nephews and extended family.

Our hearts are broken, but we know that Jeanne is at peace and has gone to be with the love of her life.

Jeanne’s life will be honored at Fairhaven Memorial Park on Saturday, December 3, 2022. Visitation will be held from 11:00 am-12:00 pm, and a funeral service will occur at 12:00 p.m., followed by a graveside service.