Jean passed away on October 19, 2021, on Mercer Island, Washington, which had been her home for the past 40 years. She was born in London, UK, where she spent her first four decades.

After finishing Clark’s College in Finchley, London, she met and married Don Jenkings, with whom she had a daughter, Donna (Donna Linn). She became a single mother when Donna was 11, and worked very hard during her teenage years. In 1968, they both left for North America. Donna moved to the west coast of Canada, while Jean traveled around the U.S. with her second husband, Gary Knight, eventually settling in Vancouver, Canada for several years, before moving to the U.S. (Mercer Island).

After Jean’s marriage to Gary ended, Jean started her own business, Travellers’ Bed & Breakfast, a reservation agency for the Seattle area, as well as Vancouver and Victoria, Canada. This was the first business of its kind at the time and she felt proud to bring a different kind of traveling to people in this area. Before long, she was also planning and booking trips all over the UK, with accommodations in private homes to castles. Travelling and meeting people from different countries was one of Jean’s greatest passions, whether in various parts of the globe, or close to home. (Jean’s travels included New Zealand, the Middle East, Europe and Central Asia). She always valued discussing world events and hearing about people’s experiences.

Joining the Mercer Island Women’s Club, and being involved in many of their activities, was an important part of her life, leading to several lifelong friendships. She loved her home, and was grateful to be able to stay there until age 92, the last six years sharing her home with her “adopted grandson” Ervin, whom she had known since he was a baby.

She moved to Aljoya, Mercer Island, just a couple of weeks before her 93rd birthday, but sadly only lived there about 10 days, when she fell, sustaining serious injuries, and passed away just two days later in Virginia Mason Hospital, on October 19, 2021.

Her ashes have been interred on Whidbey Island, next to her memorial tree, a beautiful blue spruce, with a commemorative plaque next to it. She is survived by her daughter Donna, and “grandson” Ervin.

Donations in Jean’s memory may be made to Doctors Without Borders USA.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the Congregational Church of Mercer Island, 4545 Island Crest Way, at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 28, 2022.