Jean Marie Papich, 84, a resident of the Madrid Home, formerly of Slater, passed away Saturday afternoon, August 24, 2019 at the Madrid Home.

Funeral Mass: 11:00 A.M. Saturday, August 31 ^st , at Saint Malachy's Catholic Church, Madrid, by Father Ross Caniglia. Burial: Ames Municipal Cemetery. Friends may call from 4 to 6:30 P.M. Friday at Soderstrum Funeral Home in Slater and after 10:00 A.M. Saturday at the church.  A rosary will be recited at 6:00 P.M. Friday at the funeral home.

Jean is survived by her husband of 61 years, Marion; children, Michael (Karen) Papich, Cedar Rapids and Julie (Stefan) Ryon, Fort Worth, Texas; grandchildren, Allison (Austin) Dunaway and daughters, Ryleigh and Randi, all of Abilene, Texas, Megan Simcak, Pflugerville, Texas, April Clinton and children, Kyra, Kyler, Dawson, Drake and Riot, all of Cedar Rapids, and Alex (Jordan) Ryon, Saginaw, Texas.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Richard B. and Blanche B. (Lane) Whalen.

Jean Marie was born September 18, 1934 in Boone, Iowa, where she lived until moving with her parents to Ames in 1950. She was a 1952 graduate of Ames High School. Following graduation, she was employed at Younkers Department Store in Ames until her marriage. She married Marion A. Papich on February 1, 1958 at Saint Cecilia Catholic Church in Ames. After her marriage, she lived in Slater for 55 years until moving to Madrid in 2013, first to the Cedars Assisted Living Community and then to the Madrid Home.

Jean's life was dedicated to her family and home and in earlier years she was a meticulous housekeeper. While her children were in Junior High and High School, she worked at R.H. Donnelley Corporation in Nevada, Iowa for approximately 10 years.

Jean was a member of Saint Malachy's Catholic Church. She had also been a member of Catholic Daughters of the Americas Court Bishop Daly #1945 in Ankeny, the Slater American Legion Post #260 Auxiliary and the Ames High School Alumni Association. She enjoyed attending John Deere Retirees' Potlucks with Marion at the United Auto Workers' Union Hall in Des Moines and fine dining with family and friends.

A memorial fund has been established in her name.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.adamssoderstrum.com .