Jean Marie Wise passed away on November 20, 2017, surrounded by her family at Plymouth Village.
She was born in Susanville, California, on November 25, 1928, to Raymond J. Wood and Anna T. (Hall) Wood.
She grew up in Albany, California, with her two brothers and attended church at Thousand Oaks Baptist Church, where she was a Life Deacon.
She graduated from San Francisco State and went on to teach in the Berkeley School District for 30 years before retiring in 1985.
It was on a train trip to New York for a church camp and a visit to see her older brother after graduation that Jean met her husband of 63 years.
She was one of a couple of women ticketed on a troop train and John was tasked to keep her safe for the trip.
In 1952, John came out to California for a third date and married Jean.
Jean was always very active in Thousand Oaks Church and the Berkeley schools serving in a variety of ways.
She was a kindergarten teacher for most of her years in Berkeley schools, but served as vice principal during integration and later was president of the Berkeley Teachers Association.
Upon her retirement, she moved to Sebastopol, Calif., the apple orchard that they had purchased for retirement.
Jean quickly became involved with Red Cross volunteering.
In 1997, Jean and John sold the orchard and moved to Plymouth Village in Redlands to be near their only daughter and grandchildren.
Here they continued as a community volunteers, active grandparents, education advocates, and still had time to travel, especially trips back east to visit relatives.
Jean was preceded in death by her loving husband, John.
Jean is survived by her brothers, Albert Wood, St Helena Island, SC, and Harold Wood, Forestville, Calif.; along with numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
Jean is also survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Rae Ann and Dale Adama of Redlands; three grandchildren, Kirsten and Caleb Allen of Yucaipa Calif., Kendra Adama of San Francisco Calif., and Kyle Adama and fiancée, Ingrid Petersen, of Cleveland , Ohio; along with three great-grandchildren, Aila, Alli and Asher Allen.
Interment in Mount Pleasant Cemetery will be 11 a.m. Friday, June 29.
The arrangements are in the care of the Sugar Funeral Home Inc., Fulton.
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