In the early morning hours of November 9, 2021, Jean Jorgenson, 69, of Dahinda, IL, passed away at the OSF Richard L. Owens Hospice Home in Peoria, IL.

She is survived by her husband, Dale Jorgenson; daughters Dana Jorgenson (Robert Farris) of Fort Morgan, CO, Alexandra (Michael) Civalleri of Irvine, CA, and Dr. Laura Jorgenson (Daniel Garrett) of Peoria.  Also surviving are three granddaughters, Lydia and Caroline Garrett and Luna Civalleri, one stepdaughter Rachel Collett of Boise, ID, an "adopted" son Ossian (Christine) Mogensen and children Linnea, Karl, and Erik and her sister Kathleen (David) Konkle of Brier, WA.  She was preceded in death by her parents, Leslie and Dorothy (Gehrig) Bodell.

Jean was born on January 20, 1952, in Peoria. After graduating from Peoria High School in 1970 and attending college at the University of Illinois and Truman State University, she became a respiratory therapist working in local hospitals.

Her life embodied a remarkable saga of self-reliance and perseverance, exploration and grit, love, humor and selflessness, and the wisdom that comes from a life well-lived.  In the words of her cousin (and good friend), she beat her cancer by living a life of intellectual curiosity, of fierce independent thought, of bravery, of deep love for her family, and of awe and respect for the natural world.

She climbed the Grand Teton as a teenager, backpacked extensively in Glacier National Park and the Canadian Rockies, and enjoyed panoramic views from the peaks of multiple fourteeners in Colorado.  Jean rock and ice climbed across the U.S. and hiked thousands of miles in her lifetime, including part of the Appalachian Trail.  Some of her favorite stories involved horseback adventures in Iceland, skiing in Sweden, and standing on top of the world at Jungfrau, Switzerland.  One of her great pleasures was fishing (often with her brother-in-law) in Alaska, the Puget Sound, for giant Sturgeon in the Fraser River in Canada, or in the lake at her Oak Run home.

Jean was an accomplished violinist who played in opera and symphony orchestras and enjoyed chamber music with her husband and friends.  Shortly after receiving her terminal cancer diagnosis, she fulfilled a lifelong dream by playing through the entire extensive collection of Beethoven string quartets. She shared her passion for classical music whenever possible; once starting a summer orchestral program for Dunlap students, and serving as a volunteer and board member for Central Illinois Youth Symphony.

She was a tenacious genealogical researcher and patron of the arts; environmentalist and keen birder, adding to her life list on three continents; an amateur photographer and amazing home chef and baker; a critical thinker and person of action. Those of us who knew her mourn her loss deeply.

At Jean's request, cremation has been accorded. A time to celebrate her life, open to all friends and family, is scheduled for 2:00 pm Sunday, July 31, 2022, at Oak Run Brentwood Park Lounge, 8082 Oak Run Dr. in Dahinda, IL.  In lieu of flowers or other expressions of respect, her family suggests donating to one's local public radio station or the Audubon Society.  To share a memory or send a condolence to her family, visit www.masonfuneralhomes.com.