Jean Marlene Saubert, 65
"The whole world lost a real trooper" early Monday morning, May 14, 2007, when Jean Marlene Saubert, 65, of Bigfork, passed away in her sleep after a battle "royal" with breast cancer. Jean was born May 1, 1942, in Roseburg, Ore., to Jack and Lila Mae "Bobbie" (Jones) Saubert of Tiller.
Her father was a U.S. forester who moved frequently. Jean spent her elementary school days in Cascadia, Ore., and then graduated as valedictorian from Lakeview High School in 1960.
Jean spent the next six years pursuing her dream of becoming an Olympic skier while also getting her Bachelor of Science degree from Oregon State University. She was selected to the U.S. Ski Team from 1962 through 1966, and won a Silver Medal in giant slalom and a Bronze Medal in slalom events at the 1964 Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria.
After competing in Chile, she took a teaching job in the newly opened Vail, Colo., elementary school, teaching kindergarten through eighth grade. She then moved to Salt Lake City, where she taught elementary school for seven years before getting her master's degree at Brigham Young University. She then taught at BYU for three years.
The rest of her professional adult life was spent positively influencing hundreds of young lives in elementary schools and LDS churches in Hillsboro, Ore. She retired in May 2000 and spent some time in Australia, enjoying the summer Olympics there. She moved back to Salt Lake to donate her time and energies to the Winter Olympics hosted there in 2002.
She then moved to Bigfork, where she had overwhelmingly become entrenched in the community by volunteering at local elementary schools, participating fully at the local LDS church and enjoying the Eagle Bend golf course, where she was president of the ladies golf association. Anyone who knew her loved her!
She is survived by her sister, Joan Cummings, and Terry Cummings, who own the Mountain Trader and live in Bigfork, and Rio Verde, Ariz. Terry and Joan express sincere appreciation to all her church family, golf buddies and neighbors for all the love and support during Jean's challenges.
Funeral services for Jean Marlene Saubert will be held at 4 p.m. Wednesday, May 16, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel (LDS) in Bigfork, with interment in Pacific Sunset Cemetery in Florence, Ore., where her parents, grandparents and great-grandparents are buried.
The family suggests you please consider donations to your local hospice or American Cancer Society.
Johnson Mortuary and Crematory is caring for Jean's family. You are invited to go to johnsonmortuary.com to offer condolences and sign Jean's guest book.