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In Memory

Jean Harrison (Freelove)

Jean Harrison Freelove

Jean E. Freelove, age 67, of San Diego, California passed away peacefully and surrounded by family on May 25, 2017 in O’ahu, Hawai’i. Jean felt honored and thankful beyond measure, as well as deeply and incredibly loved, to have her family and friends … especially her brothers and sisters and their spouses, son, daughter-in-law and cousins … rally around her so fiercely throughout the entirety of Jean’s wholehearted battle with brain cancer; particularly in her final months. Doing so much, regardless of the distance or personal inconvenience, rendering simple words of thanks insufficient. And, as Jean said more than once over the years, "No sister in this world could ever have a better 'big' brother … or a better bunch of brothers and sisters."

Jean was born in Seattle, Washington to Harmon Gene and Mary Ellen Harrison, and was the second eldest of seven siblings. Although Jean moved to Tucson, Arizona with her family at the age of 12, part of Jean’s heart never left her beloved Olympic Peninsula — Beckett Point in particular — a place to which she returned every summer and built so many special memories with her brothers, sisters and cousins throughout all of her teenage years. Upon graduation from Tucson High School in 1967, Jean attended and graduated from Scripps College in Claremont, California. Despite all of the academic challenges, as well as opportunities to engage in social activism and involvement, which Jean so cherished from her four years at Scripps, she would ultimately say that the most important thing she gained from her Scripps experience was meeting some truly special people with whom she forged lifelong friendships.

Jean then attended Pacific Oaks College in Pasadena, California — inspired by her remarkable mentor and dear friend Prof. Georgiana Feeney — where she obtained a graduate degree in Child Development (which, unbeknownst to Jean at the time, by and by proved quite useful when she would later turn her eye to a second career in politics). Post college, Jean pursued her goal of being a primary school teacher by finding employment with the California public school system where she taught both at-risk students and identified gifted students for six years. It was during this time that Jean married her first husband, Peter Andrews, with whom she had one son, Matthew. Jean considered Matt one of the singularly greatest blessings of her entire life, and she became a stay-at-home mom to raise Matt for the first three years of his life. Upon reentering the workforce, Jean decided to pursue her interest in working behind the scenes of political campaigns rather than return to teaching.

When Jean entered the field of politics in the early ‘80s, she didn't intentionally set out to be a trailblazer as a political consultant but that’s exactly what she did. The year that Jean began her political career, there were only about 20 women serving in the U.S. Congress and Senate. Today that number is 108 women between the U.S. Senate and the House. It was a time at first that, more often than not, during a meeting someone would invariably say to Jean, “I'd like a cup of coffee.” To which Jean, looking the person right in the eye, would smilingly reply, “Yes, I'd like one, too.” Working her way up from volunteer staffer running grassroots efforts to full-time paid campaign staff in the early days, Jean quickly proved that she had a deft mind, as well as instincts, for the political world. Jean went on to form her own political consulting firm in 1988 and ran it until January 2016, when she turned her full attention to fighting the brain cancer with which she had been diagnosed the previous month. Over the decades, Jean worked on everything from local and statewide ballot measures and initiatives to local school board, county supervisor and city council races to California State Assembly and Senate, U.S. House and Senate and U.S. presidential campaigns. In the rough and tumble world of politics, and especially political fundraising, Jean's colleagues—often even those on the opposite side of a candidate or issue—speak of her with nothing less than respect and admiration. E.g., “Jean was the ultimate professional … everyone knew they had to return Jean’s phone calls—she was tenacious—but also kind, caring and fiercely loyal.” Or, “Success is born of a thousand mothers, some seen and some unseen. Jean Freelove … is one of those unseen mothers of Competitive Edge Research … she’ll live on in my memory as another one of those special people who helped me along the way.” And, “We were at times friendly competitors but always friends … she was a rock to me and my family when [my husband] passed away …” There is a saying in business that people don’t care about how much you know until they know how much you care. It was never a question that Jean cared about people, and she never forgot that people are actually the sole point of politics. And, more than merely professional respect, many people throughout Jean’s political career liked her because she didn’t take herself too seriously, she gave it to you straight (even if it wasn't what you wanted to hear) and she was trustworthy beyond reproach—her word was her bond. For these reasons, and others, people simply liked Jean. As a former colleague recently wrote of Jean, “She was plucky, keen, never missed a nuance in any conversation and she laughed with her whole self. Jean also had a great way of being pushy and, somehow, I found myself working voluntarily on a number of her races. I didn’t need to do this kind of work—it often went late, tallying totals and cleaning up all the donor paperwork. But I actually loved it and what I really loved best was Jean.” Throughout all of the ups and downs of leading her company and serving clients, Jean never lost sight of what she deemed truly important in life as attested to by this comment from a long-time business associate, “During our chats, Jean would invariably bring up her son Matthew, whom I had met in the old office when he was a ‘little shaver.’ Eternally proud of Matt, at some point [Jean] told me of his exploits as a trader in Chicago. I was planning a trip to Chicago with my dad and son so I asked Jean if Matt would have recommendations on fun things to do. Immediately she sprang into action, hooked us up and that’s how we eventually found ourselves ‘in the pit’ on the trading room floor at the Chicago Board Options Exchange. The guided tour was a trip highlight and, through it, I saw mutual love and admiration between mom and son.”

For as hard-working, motivated and savvy as Jean was professionally, she was equally passionate about embracing and enjoying a wide range of pursuits in her personal life. From church involvement to enjoying and supporting the Arts in their various forms to whitewater rafting, ocean kayaking, hiking, dancing, snowmobiling, quad-running or loping a horse across a mountain meadow to traveling America and the world with family and friends, Jean fully appreciated and shared her joy of life. In addition, she was an accomplished pianist, a Master Gardener, an amazing cook, an avid reader and a scrapbooker par excellence. Jean had a heart for service that saw her give of her time as a church deacon, a Sunday school teacher, years of LJCD School fundraisers, SDMA Art Alive involvement, Helen Woodward Animal Center volunteer, women’s cancer support, nature preserve docent, beach and lagoon cleanups plus too many others to list.

It's been said about Jean that she’s never taking a rest except when she’s in motion. Yet, for all of this, to ask Jean the most important terms by which someone could describe her and she would tell you without hesitation: wife, mom/nonni, sister, friend. In spring 1996, Jean met the man she would one day call the love of her life while trail riding in the San Juan mountains and, in fall 1997, they were married. During their first honeymoon, they picnicked in a grove of aspens following a sunrise hike to Bridal Veil Falls and, still today, one special tree bears the inscription “Jean + Skeet Forever.” In 2007, Jean was in seventh heaven when her son Matt proposed to and later married the love of his own life, Trish, whereby Jean gained a daughter. For the past seven years, a wondrous joy for Jean has been to be “nonni” to her three fascinatingly marvelous grandchildren by Matt and Trish. Throughout her life, Jean nourished people around her with love, beauty, humor, faith, loyalty, hope, zeal, nudging (when she felt it was needed), a sharp intellect, a warm spirit, a sweet heart, a gorgeous smile and laughing eyes … along with her talented and inspired prowess as a home cook. She never lost her belief in the magical. Through everything, Jean embodied the very best of those qualities necessary to make this world a better place. While we are all the worse off without her, we will celebrate and cherish the brilliant shooting star she was in the universe during her all too brief time here. To live in the hearts we leave behind is to never die.

Jean’s mother, Mary Ellen (Harrison) Nichols, departed this world in 2007 to be on Jean’s advance team in heaven. Left to honor Jean and remember her love are Jean’s husband, Skeet; son, Matt (Trish) Andrews; three grandchildren; Grey, Beckett, Finley; father, Dr. Harmon (Mary) Harrison, MD; brothers, Tom ‘Oink’ Harrison, Bob (Lori) Harrison; sisters, Carole Mills, Ruth Constantine, Susan Harrison, Janet (Bruce) Oliver; and many much loved nieces, nephews and cousins. Last, but surely not least, Jean’s beloved Aunt Marilyn held a special place in Jean’s heart from the moment they first met.

A memorial service for Jean will be held on Saturday, August 19, 2017 at 11:30 a.m. inside Horizon Christian Fellowship, located at 6365 El Apajo, Rancho Santa Fe, California, with Pastor Bob Botsford officiating. A reception for family and friends will follow the service. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial in Jean’s name to Sandra J. Schulze Hope Lodge, 411 Second Street NW, Rochester MN 55902 or Brains Together For A Cure, PO Box 8353, Rochester MN 55903.

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/sandiegouniontribune/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=186366012

 
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08/21/17 07:37 PM #1    

Ellen Schlosser (Morris)

I was best friends with Jean through Junior High School, I was hoping to reconnect with her at the THS 50th reunion.  I  am so saddened by this news, she was a wonderful person even back then in Junior High School.  I spent many nights at her home in Tucson.  I have always missed her and wished I knew how to contact her.


08/24/17 08:59 PM #2    

Lin Hurley

Jean was always happy and ready for fun. I particularly remember a slumber party that was total chaos and to this day whenever I see a crepe I remember crepes she and her Dad made for breakfast with all the girls the next morning after her party. I'm sure she and her joy are missed by so many friends.

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