Jean W. Ivie

In Loving Memory

Out beloved mother, grandmother, great grandmother and devoted friend to minions, and our precious angel passed away peacefully at home on May 7, 2022, surrounded by her loving family. She was a caring, fun loving and vivacious presence to all who knew her, and her absence will be deeply felt by all who had the joy of being a part of her life.

Jean was born in Salt Lake City on September 1, 1938 and attended South High School where she met her soul mate and love of her life, Jesse. They were married July 14, 1955 and were married for 64 years until Jesse passed in December of 2019. Jean had four children during their marriage that she loved to the depths of her soul and Jeannie focused her heart and energy on her husband and her children from the day each of them was born.

Jean’s wish for all was that they would never lose the inner child that lives in their soul. She lived by that credo, and she never lost the spirited child within her. Even her first job was as a roller-skating carhop at a burger joint, now that’s fun!! Her passion and enthusiasm for fun and laughter made her a magnet for all children she encountered whether as a den mother for her sons and the scouts, home teacher, field trip chaperone, ukulele club assistant, and so many other activities she became involved with to be surrounded by children. The daily refrain from children in the neighborhood was “WE ARE GOING TO JEAN IVIE’S!!!” There Jean would teach us all how to swim, orchestrate fun games, roller skate, ride bikes, serve treats and bring happiness to all in attendance. The Ivie children were never lonely growing up!!

We spent our childhood years hiking to every lake in the Wasatch, fishing at them all as well as any other body of water mom could find for us to swim in as swimming was one of her favorite activities. In her younger years she liked to consider herself “Ester Williams” but in her later years she referred to herself as the Queen of the Carp at her beloved Bear Lake where she likely swam hundreds if not thousands of miles during her 40 plus years at the family cabin. Bear Lake was Jean’s “MAGIC PLACE” where she taught us and many others how to water ski, swimming skills, snorkeling and we spent our days in the boat or playing games on the beach with our Jeannie and our dad. Of course, Jean made lots of friends with other children at the lake and brought them into the flock for our activities. Jean was a best buddy to anyone who liked to laugh and have fun.

An avid and expert gardner, Jean had a green thumb beyond compare. The yard at our Cottonwood Heights and Bear Lake houses were magnificently landscaped with a multitude of flowers and other plants in every color of the rainbow creating an environment akin to an immaculate English garden.
Jean was a very enthusiastic Elvis fan and collected lots of Elvis memorabilia. She never made it to Graceland, but it was on her bucket list. Jean also enjoyed traveling, particularly with her family and spent many weeks in Mexico, Hawaii, Florida, and greatest trip ever was a 12-day trip beginning in Rome and then a Mediterranean cruise for Jess and Jean’s 50th wedding anniversary where they visited Italy, Sicily, France, Spain and Tunisia with Michelle who at the insistence of the family served as the bodyguard for our “Lilliputians” while abroad. Of course, during this journey mom managed to find an Elvis impersonator and get a picture with him. Again, it was all about fun with Jeannie.

Jean’s professional years, all thirty-one of them, were spent at Blue Cross Blue Shield where she began as a part time claims processor and rose to the lofty and respected position of Regional Auditor. She embraced her work with the same devotion and standard of excellence that she applied to all other aspects of her life. Jean received many awards and acknowledgments of excellence during her tenure at Blue Cross Blue Shield and was respected and admired by her peers. She made many lifelong friends while at Blue Cross and continued to have regular gatherings with her much loved “lunch bunch girls” well after her retirement in 1999.

In short, Jean was a vivacious special lady with an extraordinary capacity to love and share that love with those in her life. She will be missed by everyone she touched during the wonderful 83 years she brought love and happiness to those around her. A trooper to the end she is reunited with her beloved soul mate Jesse and at peace with the universe.

The Ivie family wishes to express their extreme gratitude and love to our earth angel and cousin Evie (Ivie) Payne who expertly, gently, and beautifully guided Jean through the last stages of her journey with grace, humor and unbounded love. We also extend special thanks to Kristy and Tricia, Jeans caretaker and nurse respectively, for the love, tender care, compassion, devotion and kindness they gave to Jean while in their care. The Ivie family will be forever grateful to these wonderful and truly special ladies for all they did for us and for our precious mother during the final stages of Jean’s courageous battle with cancer.

Jean is survived by her sons Jesse W. Ivie and his wife Carolyn, Todd E. Ivie, Chris W. Ivie and her daughter Michelle Ivie Aslanian, five grandchildren, Jake, Drew, Shalyse, Skylar, her muse Breanna, (with whom she shared a deep bond and magical relationship from the day Breanna was born to the day Jean passed) and four great grandchildren, Krew, Brooks, Nayell and Thalia.

Services will be held at Larkin Sunset Gardens located at 1950 East Dimple Dell Road (10600 South), Sandy, Utah. Friends and family are invited to greet Jean’s family during a viewing from 4:00 to 6:00 on Wednesday, May 11, 2022. A private graveside service for family and closest friends shall be held Thursday, May 12 at 1:00 p.m. Online condolences may be offered at www.larkincares.com

In lieu of flowers, Jeannie would have enjoyed your making a donation to your favorite charity.

LETTER FROM JEAN IVIE TO ALL SHE LOVED

I said a prayer for you today and know god must have heard.
I felt the answer in my heart although he spoke no word!
I did not ask for wealth and fame (I knew you wouldn’t mind),
I asked him to send treasures of a far more lasting kind.
I asked that he be ear you at the start of each new day,
To grant you health and blessings and friends to show your way,
I asked for happiness for you in al things great and small.
But it was his loving care I prayed for you the very most of all.
All my love,
JEAN