Jean Johns, 86, of Morgantown, passed away Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024, at home surrounded by family and friends. Born Dorothy Jean Bracken on Sept. 17, 1937, in Morgantown, daughter of Oliver Scott and Eva Pauline (West) Bracken, she married Raymond “Bud” M. Johns on April 14, 1956. Together they built their home on Canyon Road, where they’d go on to raise four children, and serve as a cornerstone for extended family and community.
Jean is most prominently known as an excellent cook, baker, and keeper of recipes. In her later years, she’d provide kitchen instructions, advice, and walk-throughs by phone to anyone in need, jokingly answering calls with, “Hello, you’ve reached Jean’s Cooking School!” She catered and decorated cakes for church (First Christian), family reunions, weddings, and for field trials at the Northern West Virginia Beagle Club, where Bud was a member.
Professionally, Jean wore many hats over the decades, and collected numerous friends and acquaintances along the way. Most notably, she worked at Bell Atlantic phone company, as a hostess/cook on The River Princess with her husband, as a child caregiver in her home, and as a clerk at The Antiques Walk and its affiliated estate sales. She is especially fondly remembered as “other mom” and “Mean Jean” (a title she wore with pride) by her babysitting charges, who’ve stayed in contact to catch up and seek her advice through the years.
Jean is survived by one daughter and two sons, Michael (Pat) Johns of Cheat Lake, Michaelle (Jeffrey) Haye of Charleston, and Scott (Paulette) Johns of Elkview; one brother, David (Jane) Bracken; six grandchildren, Michael (Kelly) Verbosky, Becky (Dave) Verbosky Kerns, Anthony (Cori) Johns, Ian and Lucas Haye, Lauren (Jake) Clendenin, Melissa (Richard) Harper, and Shakira Smith; and eight great-grandchildren, Christian, William, Lincoln, Oliver, Theo, Alena, Madison, and Braxton; as well as several nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her husband; daughter, Tracee Johns-Smith; grandson, Patrick Johns; daughter-in-law, Tami Debbie Lynch Johns; and sisters, Margaret Headlee and Ginger Stiles.
Honoring Jean’s wishes, her remains were donated to WVU’s human gift registry. A memorial service will be held at a later date.
We invite you to forward pictures, stories, recipes, and well wishes that can be shared with family and prepared for the memorial/celebration of life to Shakira at jeanjohns3337@gmail.com
