Jean Daphne Conway

Jean was born and raised in Ashford, England. She loved school, sports and classical music. She loved the ballet and even danced for eight years. In fact, she was very proud of her bent toes and would always tell you that was from ballet you know. She was extremely athletic and loved to play hockey and run track. She played piano but hated to practice, and as an adult she took violin lessons and played until the windows had to be shut and the dog covered his ears. At the age of eighteen she joined the Royal Air Force and trained as a radio operator. She stood proudly in her British uniform and only left because she married an American Air Force plane mechanic. After the birth of her daughter, they traveled to the United States and settled in Missouri where three years later she had a son. Jean went on to raise those two children and worked as a telephone operator. She later attended nursing school and became an LPN. Nursing was her vocational passion and at the age of 58 she went back to school and obtained her RN with high honors. She became a United States citizen and was very proud because she now had dual citizenship. After retirement in her seventies she would work in her flower garden, blast the classical music for all to hear and tell jokes to anyone that would listen. She was a member of the British Women"s Club and thoroughly enjoyed their monthly luncheons. She was very proud of her grandchildren and great grandchildren but they had better mind their manners and learn how to tell those jokes. Jean is survived by her daughter, Ginette Owens; her grandsons Jason McQuay, Zachary McQuay and wife Angela; great-granddaughters Miranda McQuay, Grace Burke, Alex Keys and Spencer Brown; great-grandson, Rylan McQuay; special friends Graham & Rose Marie Smith, Larry & Karen Armstrong, Courtney & Adrian Lee, Karen Lamb; and her special furry friend Alex. She is preceded in death by her parents, son Gordon Owens, granddaughter Rachel Frances McQuay, great grandson Caleb Alexander McQuay. A special thanks to McAlester Hospice and Charlene Colbert.