Jean Koffend

Jean Koffend died peacefully Friday, February 5, 2016 at Brewster Village in Appleton, Wisconsin.
Jean lived a full and wonderful life until her stroke in 2013.

Jean grew up in Schenectady, New York with her parents, Ralph and Anita Coutant, and her twin sister Trudy and brother Ralph. She graduated from Green Mountain College in Vermont. Jean worked for ITT in New Jersey until her marriage to Frank in 1962. They lived in their honeymoon cottage for a year before moving to Cleveland, Ohio. Jean took great joy in
preparing their first home and starting a family, and both Jennifer and Christopher were born in the Cleveland area. Later the family moved to Appleton, which was truly home to Jean. As the kids grew, Jean went back to work part-time first as a travel Agent and later as an Aerobic Dancing instructor.

Beyond her family and many wonderful friends, Jean loved reading and all things literary. She
especially loved her many years in the Wednesday Club, and later she helped organize and was active in Boca Bookies, in Boca Grande, Florida. Jean also loved gardening and created a beautiful, tranquil garden that brought her great joy. Boca Grande, Florida was a special place for Jean, and she took many classes there and became an expert Nantucket basket weaver. She loved exploring the island with her camera and meeting her friends on the beach as she walked her beloved dogs, first, Last Chance, and
then Boca and Stella.

Jean also loved their cottage on Lake Winnebago and her home in Appleton where her children grew up and where she could walk to Lawrence University or downtown Appleton. Jean enjoyed the many friends she made in gourmet group, outing group, her various book clubs, her trails friends, and she also loved to travel. Boyd's Mason Lake Resort and the Hazen Inn were special places to Jean.

Jean is survived by her husband Frank, her two children Jennifer (Brad), Pleasant Prairie, WI and Christopher (Lee Anne), Kalamazoo, Michigan, and her five grandchildren, Emily Santeler, New York City, Ethan Santeler, Chicago, Christopher Santeler, Madison, and Noah and Mariana Koffend, Kalamazoo.

The family wants to offer thanks and appreciation to the kind nurses at Brewster Village who so lovingly cared for Jean.

A special thank you goes out to Jean's dear friends who so loyally and lovingly visited Jean at Brewster Village every single day. Very special appreciation and love to Carol Heid for coordinating, and thank you also to: Mary, Bonnie, Sue, Mary, Sharon, Cookie, Georgie, Marcia, Sue, Betsy, Susan, Lesley, Sally, Sandie, Ellen, Diane, Mary Kay, Kim, Susan, Milly, Pat, Char, Sue, Maria, Andrea, Barb, Sara, Phyllis, and everyone else who loved Jean. Family and friends
are what mattered most to Jean in life; thank you all for making her life wonderfully full and happy.

The family suggests that any contributions be sent to Fox Cities Greenways, Inc. P.O. Box 5,
Menasha WI 54952-0005 (www.foxcitiesgreenways.org.).

A service celebrating Jean's life will be held on May 14, 2016 at 11:00 am at First Congregational United Church of Christ in Appleton.