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Jean Diamond, 85, of Dowagiac, passed away peacefully on Thursday morning, Jan. 14, 2021.

Jean was not a cook, per se, but she taught her family the most important recipe of a good life.  From the time we were old enough we knew it was to live simple, to value time — and to give it.

It is that simple.

Dowagiac Daily News lost their biggest fan, who got her time every single weekday. Patti got her time on Thursdays, as getting her hair done was about presenting yourself, but also regular social time was good for your soul. Nikki, Victor, and Mrs. Chancellor got her time before she headed to work because you also needed to unwind;-) Her Contech family got her time on second shift for years, and the annual retirement gather was one she would not miss.  Her girlfriends were her lifeline. She taught us about the immeasurable value of friendship. And on Sundays, no one got more time than her church, and God. But…

Bigger yet, we lost our biggest fan, as the time she would give to her humans, was endless. Limitless. Selfless.

She proudly held an address of her home on Jones Street, in town, where it let her do what she loved most — have visitors and gather with her family. It was an address that was a true home, and for years, the doors opened to any and all who needed it.  She gave when she didn’t have, and she believed very strongly in her faith in God.

She loved taking pictures, cats, loved bowling, loved drives and never missed a birthday or holiday card to all of her family. A strike is usually good in her favorite past time, especially if you ritually waved your arms at the bowling ball to coax it in the direction you wanted it to go 😉 But today’s strike is in her favor. She upgraded her address, and now heaven is winning. And our earthly score, undoubtedly, got a little lower.

Jean was preceded in death by her parents; Myrtle and Homer Burgess; husband, Dale Mead; son-in-law, Dave LaBine; and granddaughter, Natalie Diamond-Pinkowski.

She is survived by a huge fanclub, we call TeamJean: her children, Deborah (Steve) Pinkowski, Viky LaBine, Randy (Brenda) Diamond and Jamie Diamond; grandchildren, who were all favorites, Stephanie Pinkowski, Stephen (Jamie) Pinkowski, Celeste (Jeff) Oppold, Travis Taggart, Danieal (Kevin) Diamond, Brooks Diamond, Nathan Diamond; great-grandchildren, Ryan and Cole Oppold, Maya Smith, Ben and Jess Pinkowski, Calvin and Colette Diamond, Beckett Pinkowski, and Aaron Hatch.

Private funeral services will be held Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021, for her family at Mission Hills Memorial Chapel, with a public dinner for family and friends to follow at Victory Tabernacle in Dowagiac at 4:30 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, please donate in her memory to Victory Tabernacle Church, 608 Middle Crossing Road, Dowagiac, or Hidden Acre Farms Cat Rescue, 50582 Pleasant St., Dowagiac MI 49047.

Memories of Jean may be shared with her family at BrownFuneralHomeNiles.com.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Brown Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Niles.