Jean Vivienne Gresham

Jean Vivienne Davis was born in Salinas, Kansas, on May 5, 1927. She moved with her parents, Edward and Esther, and older brother Lloyd to Everett, Washington in 1938. After graduating from high school in Everett her parents moved to Oregon and she had to support herself, which reflects her independence and initiative. She went to nursing school in Everett from 1945 to 48, and she worked in Oklahoma and California.

On a visit to Everett to see a nursing classmate, she met her husband Elwin Clifford Gresham, on a blind date with another couple to the Green Lake Aqua Center in Seattle. They were married on December 8, 1950. Cliff was in the Air Force so Jean was able to do more traveling. They were stationed in Italy and Guam, and many locations within the U.S. including California, Nebraska, Colorado, Alabama, and Kansas. During these years, Jean had four children named Linda, Steve, Cathy, and Doug.

In 1974, Cliff retired from the Air Force and they moved to Cheney, Washington, where they enjoyed having a large garden, volunteering at the recycling center, and going cross-country skiing. She loved to try new recipes, the Gresham's were members of Emmanuel Lutheran Church, the High Flyer square dance club, and she worked as a nurse at the Cheney Care Center. Throughout their life, Jean and Cliff loved to travel and went to five of the seven continents; of course, Antarctica would be much too cold for Mom! Eventually Cliff and Jean moved into an independent living unit at the Cheney Care Community. The last few months of her life she lived at Courtyard Assisted Living in Colfax, Washington, to be near her daughter Cathy.

Jean was preceded in death by her husband Cliff (May 2020), her eldest child Linda Span (Nov. 2020), and her granddaughter Christina Gresham (2001). She is survived by her other three children Steve Gresham (Blanca), Cathy Landers (Rich), and Doug Gresham (Carol). Jean has five surviving grandchildren Griscelda Smith, Ricky Rios, Jason Cornwell/Wright, Ashley King, and Brad Landers; and nine great-grandchildren, Christopher Smith, Jazzlyn Smith, Kilyn Smith, Owen King, Piper King, Emmett Cornwell/Wright, Oscar Landers, Leila Rios, and Isabel Rios. Jean had a keen sense of humor and will be dearly missed by her family and friends.

Her family wishes to thank all of their friends within the independent living community and church who looked out for Mom and alerted her daughters as needed. We would like to thank the Assisted Living Centers for the care and attention Mom was given during her time there. We especially appreciated the extra time many of the staff gave to Mom at the Courtyard as she declined. Thank you!

A private service for the immediate family will be held on June 10, while a Celebration of Life will be held for Jean and Cliff in the fall of 2021.

Cheney Funeral Chapel, Cheney, WA. Online guest book at cheneyfuneral.com