Jean Alexander

Jean Ann Alexander passed away on February 8th at the age of 73 at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines, IA.

Jean Ann Alexander was born October 1, 1948 in Sergeant Bluffs, IA to Don and Arlene Potee. She was proceeded in death by her loving Husband Jim Alexander, her parents Don and Arlene Potee, Siblings Dallas (Irene) Crone, Rick Potee, Rosemary Higley, as well as her brother-in-law John Moody.

Jean enjoyed playing basketball at Ayrshire High School where she graduated in May 1967. On July 10th 1970 she married the love of her life, Jim Alexander. Two daughters were born of this marriage; Tonia and Kelly. Jean’s first job was a meter maid in Spencer, IA until her daughters were in elementary school when they relocated to Colorado. Jean was a homemaker and raised her two daughters. They relocated back to Iowa in 1985 where Jean began working as a lunch lady for the school systems for many years. After the kids were grown, she began working as a clerk at Walmart.

In 1995 she morphed into a woman her daughters no longer recognized as they welcomed their first of two grandchildren who they enjoyed having on numerous occasions, and many breakfast dates with donuts and sips of coffee. Jean also gifted her grandchildren their first cars when they turned 16!

After retirement Jim and Jean enjoyed road trips to Colorado and Mackinaw Island, Michigan. In 2001 after a ten-month battle of cancer Jean lost her beloved husband. Jean talks fondly of a trip to Sedona, Arizona with her sisters where she remembers her life flashing before her as she feared falling down a massive cliff (thanks to Lois’ crazy driving), and in 2018 Jean enjoyed a trip to Las Vegas for her 71st Birthday with family.

In 2019 she was overjoyed to welcome her first of two great grandchildren. In these years she enjoyed playing BINGO and joking around with her friends and the nurses in the care facility. She also enjoyed many Sunday lunches with her family and great grandchildren.
She is survived by her daughters, Tonia Alexander, Des Moines, IA; Kelly (Todd) Waddle, Clive, IA. Her grandchildren, Erin (Jake) Vanderley, Norwalk, IA; Alex (Amanda) Stauble, Winterset, IA; two Step grandchildren Jacob Waddle and Carson (Garrett) Maurer; two Great Grandchildren Hadley and Brinley; and her surviving siblings, Lois Moody, John (Charlene) Potee, Joan Baldwin, and many loved nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, February 11, 2022, at Lutheran Church of Hope, 925 Jordan Creek Pkwy in West Des Moines, at 11 a.m. with a luncheon to follow. Jean will be laid to rest at Highland Memory Gardens Cemetery at a later date.

Online condolences may be expressed at: www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

Print