Obituary of Jean Marie Ronnei

Jean Marie (Olson) Ronnei. Age 86

April 5,1939 - April 7, 2025

Jean Olson was born in Grand Rapids, Minnesota to Norman and Dorothy (Fraser) Olson. She is preceded in Death by her parents and her dear friend Joseph Ronnei. As a child she and her family moved to Bemidji where she and her sister had many adventures. Her family then moved to Anoka where Jean was a trombone player in the Marching Band and a scholar student at Anoka High School. Jean received her Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from Mt Holyoke College in 1961. While in college Jean chose to take her junior year abroad, sailing on the Queen Mary to attend the University of Edinburgh, Scotland.

After graduation, Jean moved to Minneapolis where she met and married Joe Ronnei and settled near Cedar Lake and Lake of the Isles, a perfect neighborhood to raise her two children, Bridget and Jamie. She was an active member of The League of Women Voters and also served on the PTA for her children’s schools. She was a great and generous Mom, taking her kids on adventures to the North Shore and Bemidji to visit family. After her divorce in 1974, she returned to school at the University of Minnesota and obtained her Master’s Degree in Classics. Jean used her love of languages to find work in the growing field of technical writing, beginning with a job at Control Data in the late 70’s. Given her strong independent nature Jean eventually started her own technical writing company together with a friend. She eventually left that company to become an independent Technical Writer. Upon retirement she moved back to Bemidji in the mid 1990’s.

Jean was a brilliant woman with many hobbies, she was an accomplished Pianist, taught her children Latin, was an avid reader, took Belly Dancing lessons, bowled in a league and always solved the crossword and Sudoku puzzles in ink.

Even when Alzheimer’s robbed her of her memory, Jean was a happy, caring, smiling, woman. She had that “Jeanie smile” that her caregivers would always say made their day a special one.

Jean died peacefully, while listening to harp music on the morning of April 7th, two days after her 86th birthday. She is survived by her two children Bridget Hass (Ronnie) of Charlottesville VA, Jamie Ronnei (Kelly) of Minneapolis, MN, 4 grandchildren, (who she loved more than anything) William and Stephanie Hass, and Everett and James Newcomer-Ronnei. As well as her sisters and brothers Dorothy Thompson, Bill Olson, Kathy Weihe (Jeff) and Bob Olson.

Jean’s family would like to give a special thank you to her Caregivers at Rakhma Peace Home. They were an understanding and kind presence in Jean’s last years and we are forever grateful for their exceptional care for our mom.

Jean’s life will be celebrated at the Cremation Society of Minnesota, Minneapolis First Memorial Waterston Chapel (4343 Nicollet Avenue South, Minneapolis) on the 24th of May beginning at 1PM.

In lieu of flowers, Jean’s family suggest donations please be given to the Rakhma Peace Home of Minneapolis: www.rakhma.org