Friday March 4, 2011.

Jean Marie Johnson was born September 15, 1945 to Marian (Lampert) and Bruce Welton. Jean attended school in Rapid City and graduated from Rapid City High School in 1963 then Nettelton Business School of Business in Sioux Falls. She worked for various firms in St. Paul, Minnesota, Colorado Springs, CO and Rapid City, SD.

Jean passed away peacefully in the early morning hours while at the Rapid City Regional Hospice unit after suffering for an extended period of time. She was admitted to the hospial on September 27, 2005, and underwent an emergency gallbladder operation. In recovery she suffered a cardiac arrest was resuscitated but suffered profound heart, lung and brain damage. She recovered enough to be transferred first to a nursing home and then to care in a private home. Jean was able to regain enough mental facilities to be able to manage her own affairs, but she required 24 hour care. She was admitted to Sturgis Hospital in February 2011where she suffered another cardiac arrest, was resuscitated again (in spite of her stated wishes) then transferred to Rapid City Regional Hospital where she underwent emergency cardiac care. She failed to rally, was transfered to the hospice unit and died peacefully. Her friend and caregiver Lara McIntyre was at her bedside. Jean's parents Marian Ellen Lampert and Bruce E. Welton preceded her in death. Jean was just 65 when she died.