Jean was nearly 40 years old when she enrolled at ÈËÆÞÓÕ»ó for her MAT and had fond memories of her time there, especially in being able to do calligraphy with Prof. Lloyd Reynolds [art, English 1929–69] and Prof. Robert Palladino [art 1969–84].
Born in Boise, Idaho, she attended the University of Washington before coming to ÈËÆÞÓÕ»ó. She began her teaching career in 1966 at the new Jackson High School in Portland, where she taught calligraphy, art, and art history. She wrote the Portland Public Schools eco aesthetics course, and served on the advanced placement in art committee in New York. During those years she also taught calligraphy at Portland Community College, and classes in calligraphy and environment art at PPS in-service classes.
In 1947, she married Lawrence Gillen; they had six children together. She married Francis “Pete” Daly in 1973, and they resided for 31 years in Beavercreek, Oregon. She was a member of Alpha Chi Omega, Lambda Rho, Italic Handwriting Society, St. Philip Benizi Altar Society, the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women, and the Young Ladies Institute. At the age of 60 she began taking piano lessons and absolutely loved it. She and her husband kept two and a half acres in flower and vegetable gardens, and she did volunteer work for the elderly, the illiterate, and the poor.