Bourne, Jean

On the evening of Monday, December 16, 2013 Jean Bourne, age 93, of Blacksburg, Virginia went to live with the Lord. She was preceded in death by her parents, William A. and Angela Gibboney Bourne and her Aunt Mary Gibboney, all of Wytheville, Virginia. She is survived by her cousin, William Gibboney and his wife, Walker, residing in South Carolina and a Godson, Richard Alexander Pais. Jean is also survived by many, many dear friends who had grown to love her in the New River Valley area such as Bhanu Iyer, Pam Forsythe, many members of the Christ Episcopal Church in Blacksburg, Theda and Jimmy Webster, Linda Eaton, Kingsley Hooker, residing in Tennessee, Marylee Bush, Renee Brown, Becky Ayers, George and Edna Blume, Fern Young, Tim and Nancy Corvin, Lindsey West, Terri Kelly, Angie, Shawn, Logan and Baileigh Moore, Lisa, Steve and Quin Dowell, Troy and Lois Crist, Buddy and Nadine Crist, Donna Hatcher, Lindsey Boles, and Caroline Crist, to name only a few. Jean received her Bachelor’s Degree in 1956 from Longwood College in Farmville, VA and her Masters Degree in 1957 from the Graduate School of Social Work, which she was a member of the first graduating class in the School of Social Work, at Rutgers University in New Jersey. She had a passion to serve and help others throughout her entire life and acknowledgements of her accomplishments, contributions and services certainly reflect she fulfilled that passion. Jean was an employee with the Virginia Department of Social Services for 47 years serving in various positions in the State as Social Worker, Regional Eligibility Specialist, and her final position before retirement in June 1988 as Director of the Montgomery County Department of Social Services, which she held for 15 years. During and after her years of service with Virginia DSS, Jean served on boards and was recognized for exemplary service by many organizations throughout the New River Valley area such as the Montgomery County Board of Public Welfare, New River Valley Hospice Board, New River Community Action, Montgomery County Emergency Assistance Program, and the New River Valley Community Services Board. Jean was also a long time member of the Christ Episcopal Church in Blacksburg, Virginia and was a major contributor to the Warm Hearth Community in Blacksburg, Virginia where she lived. Funeral services will be held Friday, December 20, 2013 at 11:00 am at the Christ Episcopal Church, 120 Church St., Blacksburg with Rev. Scott West officiating. Interment will follow Friday at 2:00 pm in the East End Cemetery, Wytheville. The family will receive friends Friday from 10:00 am until service time in the Parish Library at Christ Episcopal Church. Arrangements by McCoy Funeral Home, Blacksburg.