Jean Raley

Jean Raley, 91, of Ottawa, Kansas, passed away Saturday, October 10, 2020. Graveside memorial services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, October 16, 2020, at Highland Cemetery, Ottawa. Jean was born June 1, 1929, in Athena, Oregon, the daughter of Harold “Burl” and Alta May (Linfoot) Downer. She lived in Ottawa from 1967 to 1975 moving to Garden City, Kansas where she lived many years. In December 2006, Jean returned to Ottawa where she made her home until her death. She attended high school in Garden City, through her junior year and graduated from Fowler High School in Fowler, Colorado. She attended two years at Midwest Business College in Pueblo, Colorado. Jean was united in marriage with Raymond W. Raley September 28, 1951 at Pueblo, Colorado. He preceded her in death on October 17, 2011. She was also preceded in death by her parents, Harold and Alta Downer; son, Milton Raley; and brothers, Lyle Downer and Clare Downer. Survivors include her son, Michael Raley and wife Becky of Ottawa, daughter, Berylanne “Bo” Stewart of Ottawa; brother, Keith Downer and wife Candy of Garden City, Kansas; four grandchildren, Kyle Raley and wife Mary of Ottawa, Ryan Raley of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Shanna Collins and husband T.J. of Kingsville, Texas, and Wyatt Raley and wife Stormy of Georgetown, Texas; two great grandchildren, Jaycee Collins and Jeton Raley. Jean was a homemaker and worked as an office secretary or in billing and bookkeeping for many years in the various towns where they lived. She loved her family, always putting them first, and did a lot of service work as her children were growing up. She began china painting in 1977 and started painting portraits in 1990 as well. She loved to make people laugh and be funny; read and wrote many poems, mostly funny and wrote and performed a comedy skit as Truella Howgwash. She held an office for twenty-eight years at the local level of the Kansas Federation of China Painters. The family suggests memorial contributions to Trinity United Methodist Church c/o Dengel & Son Mortuary, 235 S. Hickory, Ottawa, Kansas 66067.