Jean L. Hohnstein was born on Dec. 8, 1929, in Denver, Colorado, the only child of Nelson E. Lewis and LaNelle G. Lewis.
Jean was educated in Denver public schools, attended the University of Denver on scholarship, and additionally, attended the Rocky Mountain Court Reporter School.
She worked over the years as pianist, singer, photographer, editorial writer for magazine, secretary, and lastly as a court reporter, primarily for various federal agencies through 1978.
She enlisted in the U. S. Navy Reserve in 1952.
Jean met Clifford H. Hohnstein, a widower with three young children (Cliff Jr., Charles, and Jane) in 1954; they married June 6, 1955 on his birthday, and were together until March 17, 2010, the day he died after a long illness. In 1956 their son Mark was born, making the Hohnstein Herd a family of six.
In 1977 Cliff and Jean moved from Colorado to Washington state. Cliff built the house Jean designed in Cape George Colony, their home until his health necessitated moving to a smaller, one-story house in 2006.
An avid reader and would-be author, Jean bought her first computer in 1993 and promptly set out to scratch the writing itch, eventually producing 21 novellas, three of which were published in one volume, “Trouble in Triplicate,” and after learning how to do so, built her own website for all the “Sheila Casey Mysteries.” She was an unabashed “techie,” ever up for the latest gadget.
She is survived by her two stepsons and one stepdaughter, with their families, all in Colorado; and son Mark and wife Elaine in Port Townsend, Wash.,
Also survived by Missy, a miniature poodle, the latest of a long line of small dogs, running back to the first one in 1934. She fully expects them all to be waiting for her, along with Cliff, somewhere.
There is no memorial service planned. Memorial donations are suggested to: ASPCA.org; HSUS.org; salvationarmyusa.org.
