R. Eileen Jette

R. Eileen Jette (née Willett) was born on January 5, 1935, in Mt Vernon, WA. She was the fourth child of Hazen Willett and Lucille (O’Connor) Willett. She lived on a ranch in Wenatchee, WA, with her family for about three years while growing up. She had several dear pets: Laddie, her dog; Boots, her cat; Peta Pete, her turkey; Tommy, her pig; and Rex, her Arabian horse. Eileen attended Brewster High School, in Brewster, WA, graduating in 1953. She then attended Holy Names College in Spokane, WA, obtaining a B.A. in Elementary Education in 1957. She spent five years as a Dominican nun, which included three years teaching second grade in Spokane, WA. Eileen returned home to Wenatchee in 1962 and she and her sister Virginia (Willett) Day taught in Leavenworth, WA until 1964. Eileen then moved to Portland, OR to pursue a Master of Fine Arts degree in Children’s Theater at the University of Portland. While completing her master’s degree, she also taught third grade. In 1965 Eileen married Kenneth Reynolds Jette, Jr., and they had three children, Catherine, Melinda, and Hazen. The marriage, which lasted 25 years, later ended in divorce. During the 1980s Eileen was the lead costume designer for many theater productions at La Salle High School in Milwaukie. She moved to Newberg, OR in 1991 and became the Curator of the Hoover-Minthorn House, retiring in 2000. During her career, she taught at Mt. Hood Community College, Lewis & Clark College, and George Fox University. In addition, she worked at the Chehalem Senior Center for ten years in the 2000s. All her life Eileen was so happy to be around people and to teach children. She was an avid quilter, loved her Irish background, and had a wonderful sense of humor. R. Eileen (Willett) Jette is survived by her daughter Catherine Jette, son-in-law Donald Limbaugh, daughter Melinda Jette, son Hazen Jette, daughter-in-law Chieko Jette, granddaughter Summer Jette-Gray, and two grandsons, Chihiro and Naoki. A funeral service and reception are planned for 11:00 AM, Tuesday, May 28 at the Zion Lutheran Church in Newberg, OR. A private spreading of the ashes with family will follow the service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Hoover-Minthorn House and Meals on Wheels in Newberg. For confirmation of the funeral date and details, consult the Attrell’s Newberg Funeral Chapel website.

R. Eileen Jette

January 5, 1935 - January 2, 2024