Jean Elizabeth Curtis

Jean Elizabeth Curtis peacefully completed her mortal journey on November 27, 2025—a bright Thanksgiving morning—in McKinney, Texas. Just as she wanted, she was at home and spent her final few days with her loving family and her fiercely loyal Golden Retriever, Bean.

A perfect blend of class and generosity, she personified elegance. She dressed immaculately (always wearing skirts and dresses), never was seen without her lipstick in various shades of red, and always kept her hair in perfect working order. Her style was matched by her first-class generous heart.

Jean was born on April 18 ,1956, in Queens, New York to Isa and Jack Shaffer. She was later joined by her favorite sister, Bonnie, and favorite brother, Mike, before her family moved to the Rose Park neighborhood in Salt Lake City, Utah. She graduated from West High School and at age 17, she made the important decision to be baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After graduation, she attended BYU and was later called to serve as a full-time missionary in the Germany Munich Mission, where she learned to love the German people, hate liver, and flourish under one of her most impactful mentors, President F. Enzio Busche.

After returning home, she met and married Jonathan R. Baker, and with Jon had four amazing children: Jonathan, Paul, Annie, and David. Jean and her family frequently moved to places she loved—Utah, Idaho, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and Barranquilla, Colombia—and one they did not love (looking at you, Gillette, Wyoming). No matter where she lived, she used her gifts to make over any house into a warm, inviting, French Country-style home.

She married Robert B. Curtis, M.D., in 2002. With Robert, she lived in Utah and Texas (twice). But her first 51 years of life were just a prelude to her true and ultimate calling—GRANDMA!

Nobody has ever embraced the role of Grandma quite like Jean. Her exploits as a Grandma will live on forever in the hearts of her grandchildren. Her giving heart and adventurous spirit took her (literally) into the jungles and beaches of Central America, Disneyworld, and all over the United States. She earned the monikers “Grandma Spoiler” and “Empress Grandma” for good reason. She sometimes missed a birthday, and when she did, you were in luck! She would later remember, feel guilty, and send you a present AND something a little extra. She enjoyed pointing up in the sky at airplanes and declaring “Flugzeug” to her grandchildren. This earned her another endearing title of “Grandma Flugzeug.” Her grandchildren learned to beware of Grandma’s red lipstick that got everywhere, keep the toilet paper stocked when she arrived, and remind Grandma that her glasses were on her head when she could not find them.

She loved putting on epic parties for her children and grandchildren. These parties included staples such as penny toss, candy counting in jars, and “who am I?” with the names of various historical figures pinned to the back of our shirts. Prizes were plentiful and legendary.

In late 2020, she added her final baby to the family—Bean. She treated Bean to a royal lifestyle, including In-n-Out burgers, Dairy Queen, and fine Costco cheeses. In turn, Bean showered Grandma with a special bond that blessed them both. Jean was very protective of Bean, even to the point she would chastise unwitting vets who had the audacity to suggest he was a “little” overweight. Did she lift Bean’s back paws when he was on the vets’ scale to make him appear lighter? We are not saying she did; we are not saying she didn’t. Bean and Grandma’s special relationship is safely in family lore.

Drawing on her (self-proclaimed) past experience as a race car driver, she wowed and sometimes scared her passengers. Faster than most (but not all!) speeding tickets, she once got out of a ticket in Colombia by declaring confidently to the officer who stopped her,” No Fumar Español.”

She was dedicated to her Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ. She studied and read anything she could related to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and was a Gospel Scholar and scriptorian. She felt at home reading C.S. Lewis, Fredrick Farrar, Hugh Nibley, Neal A. Maxwell, and of course Elder Busche. She loved serving God by serving His children here on earth. Wherever she lived, she actively sought opportunities to help lift others, almost always without fanfare or recognition. She was just as comfortable interacting with Presidents, CEOs, and other leaders as she was visiting women living in houses with dirt floors. She magnificently honored the charge to “feed my sheep” and serve the least and the greatest. We are blessed beyond description to have her.

She is survived by her husband, Robert; sons Jonathan (Julie), Paul (Charlotte), and David; daughter Annie (Jon); mother Isa Shaffer; sister Bonnie (Jack); brother Mike (Margaret); beloved nieces (Maggie, Terresa, Ashley, and Madeline) and nephew (Matthew); and other loving extended family. But her biggest fan club is her grandchildren: Mikayla, Thomson, Sam, Marissa, Bennett, Sophie, TJ, Alice, Christopher, Emily, Isa, and Bethany. They will miss their Grandma!

Jean is now free from suffering, for which we are all grateful. She endured her health challenges over the past several years with grace, dignity, class, and patience. Empress Grandma, we love you! Even though you have bid us “Tschüss!!” for the final time here on earth, we know we will one day see you again—red lipstick and all.

A celebration for Jean will be held on December 13, 2025, at 11:00am at the Larkin Mortuary in Salt Lake City, Utah. A viewing at 9:30am will preceed the celebration. And, at Jean’s request, this will be a celebration—though, contrary to her wishes, we will not be spiking the punch bowl with Prozac. Sorry Mom!