Jean Elizabeth Blonien (Fandrei) was called home by our Lord and Savior September 29, 2013 at the age of 81. Jean was born in Ft. Atkinson, Wisconsin, May 26, 1932 to Theodore and Elizabeth Fandrei. She earned her nursing degree from Milwaukee County General Hospital School of Nursing. She married Charles C. Blonien on August 21, 1954.
She was the proud mother of seven children. Her family was everything thing to her and she to them. She was the family pediatrician, the family teacher, the family taxi -- she did it all. She also did laundry, cooked family meals for nine, got her seven kids to school every day, along with church each Sunday morning, and still seemed to have time to help her husband run the family businesses. A mom's work is never done, and yet Jean seemed to find a way to get it all done. She could multitask with the best of them. Jean never complained and never put her needs above her family. She was a true, humble servant. She was also a musician who played the trumpet in her high school band and was accomplished at the piano. She also made sure each of her kids took at least two years of piano lessons starting in the 3rd grade as a way to instill in them a love and appreciation of music.
Jean was raised in a devout Lutheran family and converted to Catholicism after her marriage to Chuck. She ensured that her children got to Sunday School and Mass each week, received all the holy sacraments, and did a great job teaching her faith, mostly without ever having to use words.
Jean and Chuck opened Sano's restaurant, their successful family business in Altus, Oklahoma in 1962. In addition they also owned and operated three night clubs: The Upper Room, Bamboo Tree, and J.C. Cowboys in Oklahoma.
She was survived by her husband, Chuck, of 59 years; her sons, Mike and wife Patsy, Chuck and wife Katy, Danny and wife Sheilah, Joey and wife Martha; her two daughters, Mary Raberding and husband Curt, and Ann Upchurch and husband Mike. She is also survived by her two older sisters, Arline Simdon and Shirley Wehausen. Jean has 13 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her son, Greg, and her parents.
A Memorial Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday, October 2, 2013 at 4:00 p.m. at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton at 2700 W Spring Creek Pkwy, Plano, Texas 75023 (see http://www.eseton.org). A reception will follow at the church.