Jean Marie Baum's Obituary
Decatur-Jean Marie Baum, 86, of Decatur, passed away Thursday, February 20, 2014 in Decatur Memorial Hospital.
Jean was born November 26, 1927 in Nashville, Tennessee, the daughter of Deskin and Nell (Johnson) Turrentine. She graduated from Central High School in Nashville. She then attended nursing school in Bethesda, Maryland. She did her nurses training at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Washington D.C. where she met B.J. Baum. He was serving in the U.S. Navy at Anacostia Naval Air Station. They were married October 4, 1947. She was a longtime member of Sunnyside Church of Christ and retired from the Adolph Meyer Zone Center. Jean and B.J. provided a home to several exchange students over the years mostly from Japan. Up until two years ago she could be seen in the summers riding a motorcycle behind her husband around central IL.
Jean leaves behind her husband of over sixty-six years B.J. of Decatur, daughter Marie Baum of Morgantown, North Carolina, sons Russell Baum Sahuarita, Arizona and James (Betty) Baum of Decatur, she also raised a granddaughter Lisa (Andrew) Fay of Granite Falls, North Carolina. Also surviving are granddaughters Bari Baum of St. Louis, Missouri and Kasey (Kevin) Carroll of Granite City, five great-grandchildren, and one brother.
Jean was reunited in Heaven with her parents, two sisters, one brother, and her son Michael E. Baum who was killed in Vietnam in 1970. The Michael E. Baum Elementary School is named in his honor.
She will be fondly remembered and missed by all who knew and loved her.
Services to celebrate Jean’s life will be 2 p.m. Monday, February 24, 2014 at Graceland/Fairlawn Funeral Home. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Sunday, February 23, 2014 at the funeral home. Burial will be in Graceland Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to the Alzheimer’s Association.
The family of Jean Baum is being served by the Graceland/Fairlawn Funeral Home, 2091 N. Oakland Ave. Decatur, IL. Please view the online obituary, send condolences, and share memories at www.gracelandfairlawn.com.
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