Jean Fishtorn

Jean Ellen Fishtorn, of Fort Wayne, Ind., passed away peacefully in her sleep at her home on January 21, 2025. After a long, fulfilling life, she transitioned to her heavenly home in God's kingdom at age 95.

Born on May 24, 1929, in Marion, Ind., to Ollie A. and R. Bernice Fishtorn, Jean grew up in Upland, Ind., graduating from Jefferson Township High School in 1946. She then attended Ball State Teachers College, graduating with a BS in 1950 and an MA in 1961.

From a young age, Jean possessed a love of reading and learning. When she was 6, she was featured in a Marion newspaper article under the headline: "Child Genius Reads All Newspapers, Magazines". After college, she channeled that love into a 39-year public school teaching career, focused on instructing young minds to read. The bulk of that career was with Mississinewa Community Schools in Gas City, Ind., where she became a fixture in the classroom and at sporting events.

When she retired in 1990, Jean spent stints with her son, Kurt, in Minnesota and San Diego, then settled in Fort Wayne, landing a job at the then-IPFW bookstore.

In 2011, Jean joined Kurt in Naples, Fla., where several traditions began. Perhaps her favorite was weekly Sunday brunches with her son at different restaurants. It was a tradition they would both savor for 13 years, 10 of them back in Fort Wayne, where they moved to be closer to family.

Another tradition with her son was sharing laughs almost nightly over old "Frasier" episodes. And every weekday, she'd tune in to her favorite daytime soap, "Days of Our Lives," which she had followed since its debut in the mid-1960s.

Jean's other loves included cooking, politics and her sports teams. She was a talented pie-maker and loved reading about and trying new recipes. She was a staunch Democrat, working in local and state politics in earlier years, and continuing a keen interest in political and current events in later years.

In the sports arena, she was passionate about Indiana University basketball and football, Indiana Pacers basketball and Miami Marlins baseball. When her teams played, she rarely missed a game from the comfort of her rocking chair, and later, her wheelchair.

She was a 78-year member of the Upland Chapter No. 411 of the Order of the Eastern Star and received her 75-year pin during a ceremony in May, 2022.

Survivors include her sons, Kurt Fishtorn, of Fort Wayne, and Robert (Sue) Coolman, of rural Bluffton, Ind.; sister, Janet Wolf, of Indianapolis; nieces, Jody Frick, Mary Ann Wolf and Dawn (Hilda Skinner) Wolf, all of Indianapolis; nephew, Brian (Reva) Wolf of Tecumseh, Okla.; great nephew, Andrew Sprowl and great niece, Julia Frick, both of Indianapolis; granddaughters, Katy (Kyle) Penrod, of rural Warren, Ind., Rebekah (Nathan) Mason, of Crawfordsville, Ind.; four great-grandsons and three great-granddaughters.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Ollie A. and R. Bernice Fishtorn, of Upland; uncle, John Ferguson, and aunt, Mary Blanche Sell, both of Upland; grandparents, Curtis and Emma Ferguson, of Upland.

A visitation will take place at 11 a.m., followed by a memorial service at 1 p.m. on May 24, 2025, at Armes-Hunt Funeral Home, Jones-Smith Chapel, 259 North Main Street, Upland, Ind., 46989.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Northview Elementary School, 725 E. N. H St., Gas City, Ind., 46933.