Doris Jean Chadwick

Doris Jean (Lindblade) Chadwick was born in Kearney, Nebraska, on February 10, 1927. She was the only child of Joseph and Lillian Lindblade. Her father, Joe, worked for Union Pacific Railroad, until the Depression. The family then took over a funeral home in North Platte, Nebraska, and also lived in the Swedish settlement of Stromsburg, Nebraska. Due to the War, Jean attended and graduated from East Rockford High, in Rockford, Illinois, where her grandparents lived. In 1944, Jean and her parents moved West to San Diego, CA, where the climate was warmer. Jean started working for the telephone company. She was quickly promoted to San Pedro Marine operator in downtown LA, monitoring all ship-to-shore calls, since it was wartime. Jean later worked at the Naval Hospital, in a service that was set up for hospital patients returning from the War to talk to their families.
After World War II ended, Jean went to work for the Chamber of Commerce in San Diego. It was here where she met the love of her life, Bob Chadwick. They fell in love and were married within a few months. They were happily married for 67 years, until he preceded her in death in 2012.
Jean and Bob had two daughters - JoAnn and Deborah. Jean stayed home to care for her daughters and the home, and kept very busy. She was active in PTA, and was both a Brownie and Girl Scout Leader. She was also active in the La Mesa Presbyterian Church, and later, Palisades Presbyterian Church. Also, Jean was a lifetime, 50 year + member of Rolando Women's Club. In their younger days, the family spent a lot of vacations camping in Yosemite, Yellowstone, and other national parks. They also owned a cabin in Big Bear for many years, which Jean loved.
Later on, Jean, Bob, and other family members were bit by the travel and the cruise bug. Their travels took them to Hawaii, Mexico, all over the U.S., Alaska, Canada, the Caribbean, Europe several times, China, Israel, Egypt, and Morocco. Jean especially enjoyed renting an apt. in Paris, and travelling throughout France for a month at a time, which they did several times. They had an adopted daughter, Françoise, from Toulouse, who they loved to visit; they even were witnesses for Fran and her husband, Burki, when they got married in the little French village of St. Clare. Other highlights for Jean were hiking the Great Wall of China, climbing Mt. Etna, when the lava was still flowing, and tracing her roots and visiting relatives in Sweden. Jean always had her suitcase packed and was ready to go!
Jean had lived in the San Diego community of Del Cerro for 55 years, and had many friends and neighbors, who she would walk and socialize with. They had a pool and she enjoyed her patio and barbeques. The family also were long-time members of the San Diego Zoo. Jean loved animals, and usually had cats or dogs in residence. Her first part-time job as a teenager had been working for a vet.
Jean is survived by her daughter, Deborah, who lived with her and was her caregiver. She is also survived by one granddaughter, Michelle, and twin great-grandchildren, Jacob and Shelby, and a former son-in-law, Gordy, all of Columbia, South Carolina. Also, an adopted grandson, William, adopted great-grandchildren, Tara and Chris, and adopted great-great grandson, Shawn, also all of South Carolina. Jean is also survived by her sisters-in-law Joan, Janice, and Christine, and brother-in-law, Gene, as well as many nieces and nephews. She is also survived by her adopted French daughter, Françoise, from Toulouse, France, and her husband, Burki, and their extended family. Jean was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 67 years, Robert (Bob), and her beloved, oldest daughter, JoAnn; also, several brothers-in-law, and sisters-in-law. Jean was a beautiful and loving daughter, wife, and mother, who is now with God, and her other loved ones, in heaven. For now, she will be greatly missed, but she is at peace. She was 93, but her cause of death was the covid virus. We will have services for Jean at a later date, details to be on this website. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the San Diego Zoo, or to the Humane Society, in the name of Doris Jean Chadwick.