Jean’s granddaughters Emily and Haley Jean Marie Zimmerman was born on May 25, 1928 in Rice Lake Wisconsin. After attending Eau Claire’s Teacher College, she began teaching kindergarten in Cornell, Wisconsin. She married Tom (Tug) Hurlburt in 1951. They lived for a period of time in Cornell, followed by St. Paul, and finally landed in Rice Lake where they raised 5 children. Although she quit teaching to be a full-time mother, the teacher in her remained as she lovingly raised four daughters and one son.
She was a kind, wonderful mother who always put her family first. My friends envied how she never failed to make sure a fresh baked after school snack was waiting on the counter for us when we rushed home from school each day. Frequently volunteering to help with Girl Scouts, 4H, school activities, etc. she eventually started subbing at a local preschool as her children grew up, and immediately became one of the children’s favorites! Loved by children, that continued as she welcomed 15 grandchildren over the following years. It became a joke between my mom and dad as the grandchildren would run right past his open arms into hers!
Signs of Alzheimers were noticed around the age of 77 and continued to progress. In fall, 2009 we moved my parents from their home in Rice Lake to an assisted living facility in Onalaska where they could be nearer to family and receive assistance. Mom never settled in and was very agitated. Major negative behavioral changes became obvious. Her needs were more than my dad could take care of and after a period of trying various daytime respitecare, she moved into a nursing home in Sparta, Wisconsin. That lasted for several weeks, but due to the difficulty her behavior presented, she was transferred to Trempealeau County Mental Health Center where focus was on getting behavior under control. With proper medication,
her time there was limited to a couple months and now she is being well taken care of in an Alzheimer’s unit in a nursing home in La Crosse, Wisconsin. My dad is transported there three times a week and family sees her regularly. Although her mind has interfered with relearning how to walk after falling and breaking a hip in January, 2012, she still recognizes her family, loves music, and looks forward to visits – as long as we bring her chewing gum!
– Sandy Ayres, daughter of Jean Marie Zimmerman
Gold and orange roped necklace
with gold clip on earrings.
Triangle motif black and white plastic necklace
with clip on triangle earrings.