Jean Stokes Hunt

Sacramento, California - Jean Stokes Hunt, age 92, passed away peacefully on April 16, 2020. She was born in New York City on July 14, 1927 to Helen Burton Stokes and John Fraser Stokes. As an only child, Jean enjoyed growing up in Santa Barbara and Los Angeles, attending Santa Barbara Junior High and graduating from Alexander Hamilton High School. She attended the University of California, Berkeley, where she was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta. It was there she met her first husband, Michael Charles O'Neil. Jean and Michael were married in 1949. They raised and are survived by their eight children: Michael (Patricia), Elizabeth (Alan), Katherine (Richard), Matthew (Gabriela), Benjamin (Kathy), Paula (Michael), Andrew (Geniya), and Jeffrey (Mirjana). Jean was a devoted and wonderful mother, greatly loved by her children, 26 grandchildren, and 18 great grandchildren. Jean married and was preceded in death by her second husband, Harry Paul Hunt. Jean is also survived by her three stepchildren, Wendy, Marla, and Kevin.
Jean had many wonderful passions during her life. She especially loved attending Cal football games with her children. Jean had a great love of Yosemite and made several visits a year to Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite Valley, and the back country. She was proud to have passed on a great love of the outdoors to her children and grandchildren. Jean loved cooking and was an exceptional chef. (Her cookbook is coming soon!) Jean enjoyed hosting many Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Super Bowl parties in her home. As one granddaughter said, "Jean was always happiest cooking while her home overflowed with the beautiful chaos of her children and grandchildren." And of course, all the grandchildren fondly remember and loved Jean's "Candy Drawer".
Jean had a tremendous love of flying and earned her pilot's license at the age of sixty. She loved traveling the world and spending time with lifelong friends and family. She enjoyed photography, playing bridge, studying about the Civil War, learning Spanish, and raising and training her two dogs, Tio and Jean Luc. Jean earned her master's degree in English and enjoyed teaching in the Folsom Cordova USD at Mitchell Junior High and Cordova High School. Jean was a faithful parishioner of St. Ignatius Parish.
Jean was stylish, and she had a witty sense of humor. In the words of another granddaughter, "Jean had a great ability to find humor in the simple things of life. The image of Jean laughing will be something that always stays with me." Above all, Jean will be remembered for her kindness, generosity, and loving nature. Our family is especially grateful to Jean's daughter-in-law, Geniya O'Neil, for the tremendous love and care she gave to Jean over the past several years. A memorial celebration in her beloved Yosemite will be scheduled at a later date.