Jeanette "Jean" May Gilmore

Jean Gilmore of Pine City died unexpectedly Friday at her home on Cross Lake in Pine City at the age of 79. Jeanette “Jean” May Gilmore, was born in Minneapolis, MN on July 14th, 1931 at the home of her parents, Lillian and Edwin Treat. The youngest of their children, Jean had two sisters, Irene and Helen, and Brother Phillip. All have preceded her in passing, with Helen dying in her childhood prior to Jean’s birth. Growing up in South Minneapolis, Jean attended Keewatin Elementary School and Roosevelt Senior High School. Living by Lakes Nokomis and Hiawatha, and Minnehaha Falls just a stones throw down the street, she fondly recalled her adventures of swimming, ice skating, and whiling away the hours. Although there was a 10 and 12 year age difference between her and her siblings, she was extremely close to her brother and sister and remained so until their deaths. Visiting Biloxi, Mississippi with childhood friend Audrey, Jean would meet and subsequently marry her husband Jim. They had six children together and at the time of her passing, they had been married for over 57 years. Always one for a new adventure, Jean accepted Jim’s proposal to be a “military wife.” Spanning the 20 years of Jim’s Air Force career, Jean found herself setting up households in Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and the Philippines. Wondering why anyone would want to live in a forsaken northern tundra of -30 winters, but owing her his due, upon his retirement from the Air Force in 1968, Jim packed up and followed her this time back to her beloved family and Minnesota. They settled in Richfield, Minnesota where Jean’s sister and brother were also raising their families. With the kids grown and out on their own, another retirement approaching, at the urging of their son Keith who already had set up residence in Pine City, Jean and Jim bought a lot on Cross Lake, built a house, packed up one more time and in September, 1990 settled in Pine City. Including her many nieces and nephews, family was the most important thing to Jean. A gathering that brought them all together was one of her greatest joys. A voracious reader, Jean was never without a book. She was a lover of music, animal and her crossword puzzles and crypto quips. Along with husband Jim, Jean is survived by sons Mark (Kathy) of Bloomington, Keith (Mattie) and Chris (Cookie) of Pine City, Jim (Kathy) of Lakeville: daughters Jamie of Minneapolis and Lori (Chas) Enselein of Oakdale: granddaughters Jennifer (Roger) Sawyer, Bethanne (Matt) Cake, Miranda Gilmore, Meredith Gilmore: grandsons Adam Gilmore, Ryan Gilmore, Charlie and Jake Enselein: great-grandchildren Dylan and Taylor Cake. As with her parents and siblings, Jean was also preceded in death by grandson Eric Gilmore. Rev. Lyn Sahr officiated at memorial services; 1:00 P.M. Friday (1/7/11) at the Swanson Chapel in Pine City, MN. Memorials are requested to the Minnesota Animal Humane Society.