Born as Virginia Jean Marshall in Oregon City on August 24th, 1942. Jean went to be with Jesus on August 3rd, 2021.
She spent her early years between Estacada, Garibaldi, and Vernonia, returning to Estacada for her High School years, graduating there in 1961, being voted as the most athletic girl in the class.
Shortly after graduating, she married Robert McConkey of Estacada. Their 22-year marriage produced son Kevin (Karen) McConkey of Sandy, and daughter Brenda (Nathan) Czernik of Gladstone, and was spent mostly in the Portland area.
She was a home maker and had some jobs doing production work (as she called it). No matter what her job was, she was the ideal employee. Conscientious, hardworking, always on time, she never wanted or tried for supervisory positions but always got them anyway.
In 1985, she started her 36-year marriage to John Fussell Jr. and gained three more children. Jennifer (Don) Swistok in Snohomish, WA, Bill (Jennifer) in Wilsonville, OR and Richard in Oregon City.
She and John got the reputation of moving all the time, because they did! They lived in Boise, Id, and Oregon City, Warrenton, Lincoln City, Milwaukie, Carver, Lincoln City again, Boring and then Sandy. Every place she lived was turned into a garden paradise with flowers and shrubs everywhere. She was never happier then when she was digging in the dirt and planting flowers. Par for the course, that meant bird feeders and she enjoyed sitting and watching all the different birds that came. Squirrels and chipmunks too.
The only thing done more than moving was having RV's. Currently on #11 there have been many trips. The first big trip was as far as Branson, MO and covered 10,000 miles and 100 days.
Three trips to Alaska (yes, driving the Alcan Highway) chasing fish and looking at scenery and wildlife. How many of you can say you have stood in the Kenai River and caught Sockeye Salmon - Jean did it.
Trips almost every year to Arizona to chase sunshine for a few months. She said many times she would rather be on the road in the trailer than at home.
When at home she spent every available minute going and watching grand kids play sports or do school activities. Birthdays, baseball, football, rugby, music recitals, plays. It was all good and she loved doing it. Granddaughter Jessica gave her three great grandchildren to help make her last few years wonderfully chaotic.
In 2016 she was diagnosed with a stage 4 T-cell lymphoma. That was followed by a full load of chemo and then a Stem Cell Transplant. The doctors kept throwing things at her and she took them all in stride including breast cancer on both sides.
She took on every challenge with the same courageous outlook, often telling John she was the toughest woman on the planet.
Early in 2021 after reviewing some new symptoms she was told that the cancer was back and there was nothing that could be done. She went home and started her last long journey with Hospice taking over her care. That allowed her to stay home and not have to go outside the home for any medical stuff.
She grew weaker and less able to do things for herself until John's smiling face was her 24/7 penalty. No matter how dire the days became she handled it all the same way. She smiled, she comforted others, she was positive and gracious and never complained about anything. Near the end she Prayed every day for God to just take her home. He did, on the evening of the 3rd and she is now whole, and the suffering is over.
Jean loved her kitties! She had 4 long hair, indoor kitties that traveled in the travel trailer with us. They always put a smile on our faces and were her constant companions until just before she passed. Sadly, they passed before her, the last two being over 20 years old.
Those who knew her loved her and she genuinely loved others. It was obvious in the last three months with almost 90 different people that visited and many of them more than once. SHE IS MISSED BEYOND IMAGINATION!!
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Sandy Funeral Home will be handling arrangements.