In the late afternoon of May 29th, 2024, Jean Yvonne Forbord passed away at Carson Tahoe Hospital after a years-long battle with her health, surrounded by those closest to her.
Jean was born to Horace Alan and Eva Dunn on August 12th, 1931. She spent her childhood in Laguna Beach, CA and moved to Eagle Rock, CA for her high school years. She met her husband, Dean, at a friend’s wedding not long after. He drove her home after the festivities that night, and they stayed together ever since.
Shortly after she and Dean eloped in Las Vegas as young lovers, they started a family. Jean gave birth to her first daughter, Kerry, the day before her 20th birthday in 1951. Then, Julie was born in 1956. When asked her life’s greatest achievement, Jean said without hesitation: her children.
She was primarily a homemaker with short periods of work at St. Vincent’s Thrift Store and the Mattel (Barbie) factory. Dean’s career in the Air Force took the family all over the world: from Delaware and Texas in the U.S. and Germany and Japan overseas. Jean often had to hold down the fort alone in these new places with Dean being away for weeks or even months at a time, but she still managed to keep the household running smoothly, often with limited resources and sometimes even in extreme weather conditions.
They landed in Livermore, CA in 1972 and stayed there until moving to Carson City in 1989 to be closer to their only grandchild; so close, in fact, that they bought a house right across the street from Julie, her husband Rick, and Elysa (their granddaughter), where they would eventually settle and share many wonderful memories as a family.
Jean and Elysa developed a particularly special bond, spending time over the years doing everything from playing circus and restaurant for the 100th time, to going on walks around their neighborhood, to seeing Dancing With the Stars: Live.
Jean was affectionately known as “Grandma” until 2020, when she became “Gram” to her great grandson, Dylan. Gram and Dylan loved to read books and watch TV for the short time they were able to spend together. Dylan greatly enjoyed having Gram at his house and was an excellent caregiver at just 4 years old.
Jean loved cats and was an avid reader, spending many of her days with a good book and a friendly feline curled up on her lap in her recliner. She cherished the company of her family and spent a lot of time in the kitchen, especially around the holidays. A very meticulous housekeeper, Jean always made sure her home was clean and organized. Most notably, Jean was a progressive thinker and ahead of her time in how she viewed the world and treated others from all walks of life with kindness and respect, even when it wasn’t popular or accepted.
Jean is survived and dearly missed by her daughters, Julie (Gutierrez) and Kerry (Martinez-Forbord), her granddaughter, Elysa (Kleidosty), her grandson in-law, Chad (Kleidosty), and her great grandson, Dylan (Kleidosty).
An intimate, family service will be held for Jean at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Meals on Wheels through the Carson City Senior Center online at: CarsonCitySeniorCenter.org
or by check: Carson City Senior Center
911 Beverly Drive 89706 EIN 88-0123061.