Mom was a product of her environment; she grew up during hard times. She was born Imogene Marie Cordes in Winner, SD on February 5, 1929 to Milton and Hallie (Funk) Cordes. She passed the night before her 92nd birthday on February 4, 2021.
She spent her first few years in Wood, SD. Later, the family moved to a ranch on the Cheyenne River near Elm Springs. Here she spent her early years. When she was ready to start high school, she and her sister, Twila, went to Sturgis, and that was quite a new experience for two girls from the country.
After high school, she attended and graduated from Black Hills Teacher College in 6 weeks. Her first job was teaching at the Prairie View School of Box Elder, where she taught for two years. Following that, she accepted a teller position at 1st National Bank of Sturgis. She saved money from this job for her first purchase, a radio. Then she went to a dance at Alkalai and her life changed. She met Wilbur. He was smitten with her and then 3 years later on Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 1953, Wilbur and Jeanne were wed. One year later they were blessed with their first child, Pam. After that followed Thomas, Colleen, Brett, Narcel, Marcia, and Hallie.
She belonged to the Thursday Ann's Extension Club, was 4-H Leader for Bear Butte Girls 4-H Club, and was on the School Board, Election Board, Western Junior Board, St. Aloysius Cemetery Board, Senior Citizen Board, and the Sturgis Hospital Auxiliary, and was a member of the Society for Black Hills Pioneers. She held numerous offices in many of these organizations.
For many years she served as a judge at county fairs and volunteered many years at the Black Hills Steam and Gas Show. She was a 3rd generation Meade County Commissioner, as well as the first female commissioner elected. She was selected as South Dakota Eminent Homemaker of the Year in 1989. She was a member of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church.
She enjoyed gardening, cooking, sewing, entertaining, playing bridge, and playing the slot machines in Deadwood. She was a lucky person, often winning in Deadwood, and enjoyed sharing her winnings with her kids.
She was a devoted mother and wife and still found time to help others. Jeanne found her greatest pleasure in helping others and seeing kids learn. She loved helping 4-H kids learn to give a talk or bake, and loved to watch her grandkids learn (even if it meant making a mess, because that's how they learned). She would take food to shut-ins, give out flowers on friendship day, and share goodies with her neighbors. She put others first without a complaint. Two of her favorite sayings were: "Make do, redo, or do without" and "Can't never did anything". She had compassion for everyone. It didn't matter if they had done her wrong or not. She accepted everyone for who they were.
She is survived by her husband of 67 years, Wilbur; her children, Pam (Jay) Livermont, Wanblee, SD, Colleen (Gary) Heezen, Hill City, SD, Brett (Glenys) Bachand, Belle Fourche, SD, Narcel (Clint) Clark, Morristown, SD, and Hallie (Brian) Budmayr, Belle Fourche, SD; 10 grandchildren, Hadley Livermont, Austin Livermont, Leah Peterson, Tyler Peterson, Paxton Bachand (McKenzie), Courtney Uhrig (Chance), Garrett Clark (Megan), Paige Clark, Fallon Budmayr, and Anthony Budmayr; 4 great-grandchildren and one on the way; two brothers, Kirk (Kathy) Cordes, Hermosa, SD, and Sam (Patricia) Cordes, Chicago, IL; and four sisters, Twila Trask, Wall, SD, Belva Reilly, Spokane, WA, Carolyn Anders, Wall, SD, and Kay (Bill) Abbott, Valentine, NE.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Milton and Hallie Cordes; son, Thomas Milton in infancy; daughter, Marcia Sue in infancy; and son-in-law, Dan Peterson.
Visitation will be from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., with rosary beginning at 6:00 p.m., on Thursday, February 11, at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, February 12, 2021, also at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, with Father Timothy Castor officiating. Burial will follow at St. Aloysius Cemetery in Sturgis.
In lieu of flowers, memorials have been established to the Meade County 4-H Program and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

*** The family kindly asks that everyone practice social distancing for the services. The services will be livestreamed on the Kinkade Funeral Chapel website. ***

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