Jean Elizabeth Hollinger

Jean Elizabeth Hollinger, loving sister and auntie, passed away in Corona, California on August 13, 2021, at the age of 83, after a long battle with dementia. Jean was born on June 19, 1938, in Manheim, Pennsylvania, to Paul and Edith (Rowe) Hollinger. She was the second of four children, taking her role as younger sister to Paul and older sister to Peter and Janice very seriously. In 1960 the family relocated to Southern California, where Jean remained for the rest of her life. Family was very important to Jean as could be seen when you saw the many pictures of family framed, taped, and pinned throughout her home. Auntie (also "Nana") Jean adored her nephews and nieces, who adored her too. She looked forward for many years to the family's week in Newport Beach, building sand castles, eating at the Crab Cooker, and playing games in the evenings. Jean was an independent woman who had no interest in the conventional expectations of women. She preferred working to homemaking, putting herself through college in her forties, earning a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Redlands. She had a very successful career in in the optics industry for over 40 years, working her way up through the Purchasing department to a management position. She was very proud of her contributions to the development of lenses for satellites and military equipment including the Hubble space telescope. She was also proud to purchase her own home in the mid 1970's, a condo in Fullerton, California, shocking her father who could not believe she could do that on her own. Auntie Jean was a woman before her time and was a role model for her two nieces and two grand nieces, each of whom carries her sense of independence with them. When she was not working, Jean could be found pursuing many different hobbies. Reading was her passion, amassing a collection of over 4,000 books that spanned novels, nature, famous contemporary people, tea, travel, and religion. She faithfully read the LA Times every day and never missed an issue of National Geographic. Jean enjoyed traveling as well, with family, friends and by herself, visiting Japan, the Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, Panama Canal by cruise ship and the Mississippi River by riverboat. Along with her brother Paul, Jean loved photography and was always excited to break out the screen and slide projector to share her photos of travel, family, and nature. Her faith was very important to her and over the years she was active in her Lutheran church, singing in the choir and studying theology. Jean was a big fan of the Anaheim Angels and the Los Angeles Lakers. If she wasn't at a game at the Big A, enjoying ice cream and popcorn, she was watching the baseball games at home and was very happy to enjoy the Angels' World Series win in 2002. Jean was a remarkable woman, charting her own path in life. She was the best storyteller, loved pie, had no interest in cats, and had the most mischievous streak. Her laugh was infectious and her wit sharp. She loved her family fiercely and they have had the great honor of loving her. Jean is preceded in death by her parents Paul and Edith and older brother Paul. She is survived by her brother Peter (Carole) Hollinger, sister Jan (Jim) Hawkins, sister-in-law Susan Hollinger, and nephews Michael (Suzy) Hollinger, David Hollinger, James Hawkins, and Michael Eiskant, nieces Krista Hollinger and Jessica Hawkins, grandnephews John Hollinger and Matthew Hollinger, and grandnieces Gabi Hollinger and Scarlett Clark as well as many other family members and friends. At her request, Jean's ashes will be scattered off the coast of Newport Beach in a private ceremony. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Cure Alzheimer's Fund would be appreciated.