Individual 222: MacCluer, Jean Elizabeth

Individual Record 222

Name} MacCluer, Jean Elizabeth

Family History} Olson

Title}

Race} White

Sex} Female

Birth: Date} Fam 15 Apr 1911

Place} Chiang Mai, Thailand

Marr.: Date} Fam 15 Jun 1935

Place} Rose City Presbyterian Church, Portland, Bultnomah, Oregon (Link)

Death: Date} Exa 15 Feb 1990

Place} Portland, Multnomah, Oregon

Burial: Date} Aft 15 Feb 1990

Place} Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Los Angeles, California

Grave Marker}

Source 1}	70 = Interview
Source 2}	879 = Letter
Source 3}	1134=1910 USA cen
Source 4}	1133=Church recrd
Source 5}	1128=Passenger ls
Source 6}	1130=1920 USA cen
Source 7}	1131=1930 USA cen
Source 8}	1129=Passenger ls
Source 9}	872 = Voter record
Source 10}	1135=Obituary
Source 11}	1004=Index
Source 12}	1132=Death record
Source 13}	1144=Photographs
Source 14}	1149=Letter

Parents: } Donald William McDowell MacCluer and Sarah Calista Conklin
Relationship No.} Not traced

1st Household No.} 497 = St. Louis, Missouri

Occupation 1} Cashier/clerk
Occupation 2} Housewife

Religion/Church} Presbyterian

Spouses: Prime} Noble, William Curtis (Bill)
Total Number of} 1

Notes: Jean Elizabeth MacCluer was born 15 Apr 1911 in Chiang Mai, Thailand. At that time it was known as Siam. Her parents were Donald William McDowell MacCluer and Sarah Calista Conklin, who were Presbyterian missionaries in Thailand. In 1910, her father Donald had been a student at the Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Auburn, New York. He married Sarah Conklin on 11 May 1910 in Auburn, New York. In 1910, he applied for a passport, which stated that he was born 28 May 1885 in Springfield, Ohio. Sarah had been born 4 Sep 1886 in Auburn. While serving in Asia as Presbyterian Missionaries, William contacted malaria, and the family, which now included 2½ month old Jean, returned to the United States early. They sailed aboard the Chiyo Maru, which departed Hong Kong on 30 Jun 1911, with stops in Singapore and various Japanese ports. It arrived in Honolulu, Hawaii on 21 Jul 1911, and finally San Francisco, California.

In 1920, the family was living in St. Louis, Missouri. Jean was 8 years old, and had a sister Ruth, age 6 years, and a brother Malcolm, age 3 years. Her father was the assistant minister at Central Presbyterian Church. In 1930, her family was living in Portland, Oregon. Her parents made Portland, Multomah County, their final home. Her father was the minister of the Rose City Presbyterian Church when he registered for the World War II draft. Her mother died 6 Oct 1970, and her father died 15 Nov 1972, both in Multomah County.

Jean attended Occidental College, in Los Angeles, graduating in 1933 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. While at Occidental, she met William Curtis Noble, who had graduated in 1932, and had completed his Master of Arts in 1935. They were married 15 Jun 1935, by her father, the Rev. Donald William McDowell MacCluer, at Rose Hills Presbyterian Church, Portland, Oregon.

In August of 1937, Jean and Bill made their first trip to Europe, sailing on the Queen Mary. They returned from Liverpool, England, aboard the Letitia, landing in Quebec, Canada, on 28 Aug 1937. In 1936 and 1938, they were listed in the Index to Register of Voters as living at 1453 Tamarind Avenue, Los Angeles. Jean was registered as a Democrat, and was doing clerical work in a motion picture studio accounting office. In 1939 they bought a house at 4754 Norwich Street, Los Angeles, and Jean was working as a cashier in the C.H. Baker Shoe Store. Their two daughters and one son were born while they were living here. They are not found in the 1940 U.S. census. In 1953, the family had a house built at 14405 Mulholland Drive in the Hollywood Hills, with a beautiful view of the San Fernando Valley.

Jean was active in her children's PTA programs, and was a Brownie and Girl Scout Troop leader. The family were members of the First Presbyterian Church of Van Nuys, and Jean was a Sunday School teacher, a Deaconess, and an Elder. In 1955, when her youngest child entered first grade, she began a twenty year teaching career with the Los Angeles Unified School District. She taught in grades three through six, until 1975. She was a member of the Valley University Women, Sister City, the China Society, the Los Angeles County Museum, and Business and Professional Women.

Jean's husband William was employed by the Los Angeles School system for 30 years. He began as a teacher at Van Nuys High School, was vice-principal of boys at Canoga Park High School, and finally spent 11 years as principal at Van Nuys High School. As both Jean and her husband had school careers, they had summertime freedom that allowed the family to vacation in their family cabin in Rhododendron, Oregon, on the slopes of Mt. Hood. In 1965, Jean and Bill returned to Europe, taking along two of their children. In 1967 they did a semi-tour of the world, adding India and the Middle East to their European itinerary.

Bill died 5 Aug 1968, and Jean eventually moved back to Oregon. The U.S. Public Records Index gives two additional addresses for her, both undated. These were in Beaverton, Oregon, and Portland, Oregon. Jean died 15 Feb 1990 in a nursing home in Portland, Oregon, after suffering a massive stroke. Her cremated remains were placed with those of her husband in Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Los Angeles, California.

Time of Birth}

Time of Death}

Fraternal/Social}

Baptism Date}

Place}

Confirm. Date}

Photos} Jean in 1962

Immigr'n Date} Exa 21 Jul 1911

Port} Honolulu, Hawaii

Education: Grade} B.A., Occidental

Military: Service} for the State of}

Health Condition}
Cause of Death}

Last Updated
by} Karen Hancock

Date Updated} 8 Dec 2013
Date Created} 28 Aug 1993

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