Jeanne Marie Chavez

Jeanne Marie Chavez, 88, of Minneapolis, passed away Monday, March 11, 2024.

Jeanne was a gentle and quiet individual.  She was a dedicated wife, mother and grandmother.  She was an avid lover of the outdoors and spent as much time as she could in nature, especially the mountains of Colorado, in her garden, or just walking around her neighborhood.  She also loved animals and she always had at least one cat or dog in her life.  She was always about quality over quantity and was fiercely loyal to her family and friends.  She enjoyed traveling, especially domestic road trips to state and National Parks and monuments.  She was an eternal good sport and was always up for whatever family adventure we cooked up.

Jeanne was born to Jean Francois and Josephine Marie Cateora on September 9, 1935 in Denver, Colorado where she attended grade, middle and high school.   In 1953 she graduated with her RN degree from St. Mary-Corwin School of Nursing in Pueblo, Colorado.  She met her husband Richard “Dick” Chavez in Pueblo and they were married in 1957.  She loved her nursing career and worked at Mercy Hospital in Denver for many years before her children were born.   She then focused on being a mother at the family home in Golden, Colorado.  She later worked as a nurse in an outpatient family clinic in Golden, Colorado and finally as head nurse at Goodwill Industries in Denver.

 In 1995 Dick retired and in 1998 they left their beloved home in Golden and moved to Chula Vista, CA to experience California life and be near their son Rich.  They spent 22 years in sunny California before moving to Minneapolis in 2020 where she and Dick lived with her daughter Julie and family.   In 2022 she moved to Jones-Harrison assisted living residence.

 Jeanne spent her life taking care of her family, her patients, her friends, and her animals.  She will always be in our hearts as we remember her quiet strength, calm demeanor, sense of humor and bright smile.  She is survived by her husband Dick, eldest son Richard, daughter Julie, son Steve, and grandchildren Jacob, Madelin, Paul, Milo, Ellie, Vivianne and Josephine.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00 AM Tuesday, April 9 at the Church of St. Olaf, 215 8th St S, Mpls, with visitation one hour prior to Mass.
Interment Fort Snelling National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers please plant a tree or donate to the National Park Foundation here in her honor.