Jean Corken, the daughter of Vernon Max and Jessie Irene (Nelson) Long, and the youngest of their four children, was born January 16, 1932, in Decatur, Illinois. She passed away Saturday, August 26, 2023, in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, at the age of 91.

Jean attended a number of schools as her family moved often with her father’s job with Standard Oil. She completed her first two years of high school at Northeast High School in Kansas City, Missouri, and her last two at Maryville High School, Maryville, Missouri, graduating in 1949. She then became the first in her family to go to college, attending Northwest Missouri State College and graduating first in her class in 1953. In high school, Jean was a reporter for the school newspaper, writing a weekly column at Northeast High titled, “Sport Shorts by Long.” At Northwest Missouri State, Jean was a cheerleader, on the synchronized swimming team, and active in her sorority, Alpha Sigma Alpha.

In the summer before they both started at Northwest Missouri State, Jean met Bill Corken. They dated throughout college. Before they graduated, she received Bill’s fraternity (Sigma Tau Gamma) pin; and on June 5, 1954, they were united in marriage at the Maryville United Methodist Church. They made their home in Rock Port, Missouri, from 1954 to 1998, where Jean taught for 12 years in Rock Port Schools. They became the parents of two children: Craig and Laura. Jean left teaching to raise her family.

Jean was a former member of the Rock Port United Methodist Church, where she served in numerous church organizations. While living in Rock Port, Jean was very active in PEO, Sorosis, Rock Port Golf & Country Club, Garden Club, and Rock Port School Board.

After Bill’s retirement, for 10 years, the couple split their time between Missouri and Sun Lakes, Arizona. Jean learned to play tennis in her forties and continued to play into her late seventies. They moved to Lee’s Summit, Missouri, living first in Lakewood, and ultimately settling in John Knox Village. Bill and Jean were members of the Woods Chapel United Methodist Church, Lee’s Summit. Bill passed away in April 2014.

Throughout her lifetime, Jean served others as a teacher, parent, mentor, counselor, and friend to people of all ages and stations in life. She had an insatiable drive to learn, and even completed a writing class at age 91. Her spirit, love, and wisdom will be missed by all who knew her.

Besides her parents and husband, Bill, Jean was preceded in death by her sisters, Naomi Salsbury and Jane Dougan, and brother, Max Long. Survivors include son, Craig (Lisa) Corken, Rock Port; daughter, Laura (Sonne) Bond, Olathe, Kansas; grandchildren, Trent (Beth) Corken, Erica (Dustin) Barnes, Kaitlea (Ross) Hastert, Joe (Alisha) Stricklin, Krista Seelbach, Jack (Mallory) Bond, Shannon (fiancé Parks Boeschen) Bond, and Carrie (Sean Collins) Bond; great-grandchildren, Stella Bond, Aislyn Barnes, Kolcyn Barnes, Corten Hastert, Laikyn Hastert, Avynn Hastert, Corinna Bond, Arthur Bond, Josiah Stricklin, and Mariyah Mahone; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, August 31, 2023, at Woods Chapel United Methodist Church, Lee’s Summit. The family will receive friends from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., prior to the service, at Woods Chapel United Methodist Church. A private family inurnment will be held at a later date at Ohio Cemetery, Burlington Junction, Missouri. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Shriner’s Hospital for Children, P.O. Box 8923, Topeka, KS 66608 or Rock Port United Methodist Church, Rock Port, MO 64482. Arrangements are under the direction of Minter Funeral Chapel, Rock Port. Online condolences may be made at www.minterfuneralchapels.com.