- Date Of Birth: June 26, 1935
- Date Of Death: April 19, 2018
- State: Colorado
Jean Mae Mahoney, 82, passed away on April 19, 2018, surrounded by her family, in her home of almost 45 years. She was born June 26, 1935, in Chicago, Illinois, to Charlotte Mae and Frank Barker. She is survived by her husband of 62 years, Eugene Mahoney, and their ten children: Eugene (Sharon) Mahoney, Fran (Ed) Gleason, Laurie (Tony) Van Camp, Donna (Steve) Baker, Diane Mahoney, Mark (Fran) Mahoney, Karen Mahoney, Emmett (Cecilia) Mahoney, Kristen Bushlack, and Danny (Amber) Mahoney. She is survived by 22 grandchildren, and three great grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents, and sisters and brothers-in-law, Sarah and David Sheehan, and Dorothy and Johnny Watson. Jean’s life was full of love. She was passionate about peanut butter, chocolate ice cream, politics and red wine, but the real love of her life was Gene Mahoney. She and Gene met when she was 17, a senior at Mercy High School, and he was 19, and an apprentice electrician. After dating for three years, they were married on August 27, 1955 at St. Rita’s in Chicago. The Mahoneys started their life together in apartments on the South Side of Chicago, where their three oldest children were born. The first house they bought was on 77th Street in Chicago. Shortly after the twins were born, the family moved to Hamilton Street, becoming parishioners of Christ the King, and Gene and Jean completed their family. When asked what made their marriage work, Jean’s response was, very simply, “He makes me happy.” That and the fact that neither one wanted all 10 kids should they get divorced.
