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Jean Olson Yant
COOPER — Jean Olson Yant, 63, of Pecan Gap died Saturday, April 18, 2009.
A memorial service is scheduled at 3 p.m. Wednesday, April 22, at the McKenzie United Methodist Church in Honey Grove.
The family receives friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the United Methodist Church in Pecan Gap.
Known, as Jeanie to her friends and family, Jean-a to her grandchildren and Mama to her daughters, she touched everyone she knew with her optimism, compassion, open heart and her ability to live deeply in each moment.
She was born Sept. 3, 1945, in Madill, Okla. to Virgil “Ole“ Olson and Duane Davis Olson. She grew up on her family’ s farm in Pecan Gap, was a member of the Pecan Gap United Methodist Church and graduated from Fannindel High School in 1962. She graduated from Texas Woman’s University in Denton and married Charles Ray Yant, son of Ray and Grace Yant of Dial in 1966.
She was a beloved teacher in Honey Grove for many years. She taught middle school and high school art and gifted and talented classes and inspired hundreds of students. She was passionate about creativity, nurturing the talents of her students and encouraging “thinking outside the box.” She retired from teaching in 2006.
Community, family and friends were at the heart of Jean’s life. She treasured family dinners, trips with her friends and children, working in her garden, taking walks in nature, sunshine, flowers, birds, butterflies, folk art, good food, good books, time spent with her family, church family, friends and neighbors and above all, her grandchildren.
Everyone who knew Jean had shared in her garden bounty, flowers, homemade pickles and Swedish rye bread.
In 1976, Jean soloed to get her pilot’s license. She had traveled to England, Sweden, Ecuador, Mexico and Alaska, among other places. She had recently returned from a trip to see the monarch butterflies in their winter habitat in Michoacan, Mexico.
She volunteered at the North East Texas Children’s Museum in Commerce and was an active member at the heart of her church, where she often played the piano and her sister, Nan, led the singing.
She was known for her hospitality and for bringing people together, often around the table, where so many were invited to share meals and fellowship. Her faith was strong, her mind was open and her heart was kind and generous.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Virgil and Duane Olson and her parents-in-law, Grace and Ray Yant.
She is survived by her daughters and grandchildren, her former husband and friend, Charles Yant; sister, Nan Olson Beeler and brother-in-law Ronald Beeler; brother, Bill Olson and sister-in-law Lauren Olson; nephews Zachary and Jonathan Olson, son-in-law Chris Darrow; her best friend of nearly 50 years, Beverly Felts; special friends Cheryl Webb Yant, Dona White, Ann Lester , Lois Amundson, David and Tabatha Hill, Randall Woodard and Stephen Beaver.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made in Jean’s honor to the following organizations: Jean Yant Memorial Scholarship Fund at Honey Grove ISD: P.O. Box 117, Pecan Gap, TX, 75469; Pecan Gap United Methodist Church: P.O. Box 207, Pecan Gap TX 75469; North East Texas Children’s Museum: P.O. Box 994, Commerce TX 75429; Heifer International: www.heifer.org, of the organization of your choice.
Published April 20, 2009
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