Jean Patricia Jeffrey Martens Rohm, 101
Jean died peacefully at her daughter Pat Cole’s home in Whitefish, Montana, on Jan. 16, 2020, where she had lived for the last 12 years of her life.
She was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on April 12, 1918, to Augusta Anna Witkoske Jeffrey and James Alexander Ritchie Jeffrey. She had two younger siblings, Iva Jeffrey Lillge, deceased, and James Donald Jeffrey of Shawano, Wisconsin. She graduated from Green Bay West High School and was voted most popular in her class. She attended First Presbyterian Church of Green Bay where she played the piano and taught Sunday School.
Delighting in drawing and music, Jean had hoped to go to art school after high school, but her Scottish father decided she needed to learn the value of money. As an excellent typist she did clerical and advertising work. Eventually she did go to art school, and pursued a variety of academic courses in about ten different school. She studied writing at the University of Wisconsin in Madison and literature at the University of Wisconsin in Green Bay.
She met Bill Martens when both worked for Northern Paper Mills in Green Bay. They went dancing on their first date and married May 11, 1940. They lived on the Green Bay shore and then moved into the house she designed and he had built. They had four children, a stillborn son, daughter Patricia Martens Cole of Whitefish, Jeffrey William Martens of Green Bay and Virginia Martens Hays, deceased from leukemia at age 39.
They were fortunate to buy the land around a small lake in northern Wisconsin that they affectionately called “the Puddle.” Weekends were frequently spent “up North” at a cabin they built based on the Adirondack Shelters of Isle Royale with large windows that looked out on the lake.
After 40 years of marriage, Jean and Bill Martens divorced, but remained friends. Bill died Jan. 16, 2004. Jean married high school sweet heart, Milton Clarence Rohm, now deceased, June 20, 1984. They lived happily in his wooded home in Franklin, Wisconsin, just south of Milwaukee for about 25 years. He enjoyed giving her “new experiences” such as a hot air balloon and glider rides. They took frequent trips to Chicago for the theater and traveled several times to Europe. At home she gardened, co-created lavish meals, and had large parties in the back yard around the pool.
After Milt succumbed to Altzheimers, Jean resided in her daughter’s home in Montana. She continued to play the keyboard, and enjoyed attending First Presbyterian Church of Whitefish. She delighted in traveling with Pat to Minnesota to visit her grandchildren, Bill Hozza, wife Liza Viktora and their daughters, Evelyn, Ana and Quinn as well as Matt and Julie Oberg Hozza, with their daughters Madeline and Hannah. Granddaughter Nickie Kelly and husband Kyle Lewis with son Amadeus came from their California home for these gatherings. Jean also traveled with Pat to Green Bay to visit son Jeff Martens and his son Andrew, as well as to visit the “Puddle.” When Jean could no longer travel, she cheerfully video chatted with them all.
Jean always regarded home as Green Bay, where Jeff and life partner Gayle Blohowiak reside. Jean is also survived by nieces Holly and Leah Jeffrey, Susan Lillge Walker and nephews Michael Jeffrey and James Jay Lillge.
Jean will be remembered by those who knew her as unfailingly gracious with a kind loving spirit, an infectious laugh and a great fondness for chocolate which she lavishly shared. Friends are encouraged to visit our website at www.buffalohillfh.com to leave notes of condolences for the family. Buffalo Hill Funeral Home and Crematory caring for the family.