Jean M. Noel, 93, of Austin, Minnesota, passed away Friday, Nov. 29, 2019, at St. Mark’s Memory Care in Austin.

Jean was born June 8, 1926, on the family farm in Clinton Falls Township, north of Owatonna, Minnesota. She had an active childhood, busy with farm and household chores, 4-H projects, school activities and music lessons. As a youth, she started keeping a daily journal, which she continued throughout her life, with the final entry being made last year. In the last few years of her life, her children enjoyed reading the journals to her, and having her add details about the people, places and events about which she had written. After graduating from Owatonna High School in 1944, she attended St. Olaf College, where she met her future husband, Dewey Noel. Jean graduated from St. Olaf College in 1948 with departmental honors in mathematics. Shortly thereafter, Jean and Dewey were married and moved to St. Paul, Minnesota, where Dewey completed his college education at the University of Minnesota.They then moved to Austin, where they raised their two children, Janice and John. Jean was a wonderful homemaker and active in the Methodist Church. She enjoyed gardening and making and collecting Christmas decorations, many of which, of course, had “Noel” on them. She worked part-time at the YMCA for several years. After living a few years in Hutchinson, Minnesota, Dewey retired and they returned to Austin. Together, Jean and Dewey continued to be active in the Methodist Church, delivered Meals-on-Wheels, and traveled around the country participating in Elderhostel programs. After Dewey passed away in 2015, Jean became a resident of St. Mark’s, first in the assisted living unit and then in memory care for her final 20 months.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Dewey Noel; parents, Walter and Emma (Bartenbach) Schafer; mother-in-law, Jennie (Dahle) Noel; brother, Lawrence Schafer, and brothers-in-law, Glen Noel Jr. and Stanley Noel. Jean is survived by her children (and their spouses), Janice (Allen) Glass and John (Amy) Noel; grandsons (and their spouses), Andy (Katie) Glass, Aaron (Annie) Glass and Ian (Stephanie) Noel; great-granddaughter, Bailey Jean Noel; sister-in-law, Paddy Schafer; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, David and Beulah Noel; and sister-in-law, Lorrine Noel.

Funeral services will be held at noon on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2019, at the First United Methodist Church in Austin with the Rev. Dr. Donna Dempewolf officiating. Visitation will be held for one hour prior to the service on Thursday at the church. Interment will be at the Forest Hill Cemetery in Owatonna. Clasen-Jordan Mortuary is in charge of arrangements. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to First United Methodist Church or the donor’s choice.