Jean Ethelyn Blackburn, the daughter of Everett Zachariah and Ethel Florence (Miller) Plumb, was born March 20, 1932, near Hastings, Iowa, and passed away September 25, 2022, in West Des Moines, Iowa. She attained the age of 90 years 6 months and 5 days.
Jean graduated from Malvern High School in 1949. On July 9, 1950, she married Richard Dean Blackburn in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
They lived in Council Bluffs for a short time and in Lawton, Oklahoma while Richard was in the service. They moved to Oakland in 1953. Richard passed away April 9, 2003.
She was a bookkeeper for her husband’s business, Blackburn Trenching, for 41 years. She was a member of the Oakland United Methodist Church and United Methodist Women. She was also a member of the OFO Club, Friday Book Club, and the Oakland Historical Society. She was treasurer of the Oakland Historical Society for several years. She enjoyed her clubs, sewing and other handwork, housekeeping, playing cards, and picture puzzles and being with her family.
Jean was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, her brothers: Richard Plumb (Dorothy), Paul Plumb, George (Shorty) Plumb, and sister: Flo Klingemann (Eldon). She was also preceded in death by her brothers-in-law: William G. Blackburn, Carroll (Max) Blackburn (Zylpha), and sister-in-law: Eleanor Blackburn.
She is survived by her daughters, Lorna Blackburn of Red Oak and Sharon Nyquist (Steve) of West Des Moines, her grandchildren: Ryan Husz (Shanda) of Macedonia, Iowa, Melanie Husz of Red Oak, Iowa, Stephanie Raiche (Alex) of West Des Moines, Iowa, and Bret Nyquist of Grimes, Iowa. She is also survived by her great grandchildren Michael and Nicholas Husz, Emma and Max Wingert, and Theodore and Augustus Raiche, her sisters-in-law: Jeannette Plumb, Grace Blackburn and brother-in-law Bruce Blackburn (Janette) and many nieces and nephews.
A funeral service will be held on Friday, September 30, 2022, at 11:00 AM, at the Oakland United Methodist Church in Oakland, IA. Visitation with the family will be one hour prior to the funeral service. Interment will be in Oaklawn Cemetery. Rieken Vieth Funeral Home is Oakland is assisting the family.
