Jean Luree Merten (née Bules) was born on March 1, 1931, to a farming family in the small town of Peetz, Colorado, not far from the Nebraska border.  She was the youngest of six by several years, earning her the nickname "Babe" that she would keep forever.  Jean's father died when she was in junior high, so after her older siblings moved away, she spent her teen years with her mother on the farm until going away to college in Greeley, Colorado to earn a Bachelor's Degree in Education.  In college she met and married Warren Merten, and together they had four children: Randy, Terri, Doug and Greg.

Jean began her early marriage working as an elementary school teacher in Greeley where she often had the children of migrant farm workers in her class. She had a tender heart for these children and worked to help them understand their potential.  After having her first two children, Randy and Terri, the family moved to Washington state following a job opportunity for Warren.  There Jean became a hard-working homemaker and had her third child, Doug.

Not too long after Doug was born, the young family moved to San Jose, California following another job opportunity for Warren.  There, Jean had her youngest child, Greg.  She kept an active life with her children, family, church, and friends (especially her neighbors on Manzanita Drive).  She took great pride in caring for her home and always had a beautiful garden.  Jean was full of energy and when she wasn't laughing with friends, she enjoyed antiquing, candy making, bowling and playing piano.  Every summer, she would travel back to Peetz with her family to help her siblings and cousins with farm work.  "Aunt Babe" loved her nieces and nephews and cherished her time with her brother and sisters.

After her children grew up, Jean and Warren moved to their home in Saratoga where they spent most of their time working in their large backyard.  She remained devoted to her family, especially her four grandchildren, Laura, Sara, Kayla and Katie, and hosted the very best Christmas celebrations, which always included homemade caramel, peanut brittle, and almond rocca.  She loved music (especially BB King) and found an ideal job in the box office at Paul Masson Winery (now Mountain Winery) where she took in as many concerts as she could. She followed co-workers and friends to her next job at the box office of Villa Montalvo where she enjoyed many more live shows.

When her husband passed, Jean chose to continue to live life to the fullest.  She traveled all over the country with a group of friends, and all over Europe with her daughter and granddaughters.  She took pride in her immaculately kept garden, volunteered at church, and always had time to care for her friends and neighbors.  Jean loved babies and children, and it filled her heart with joy to welcome four great grandchildren into her life, Maya, Ethan, Afton and Ronan.

Jean loved giving gifts, going out to eat, having a sweet treat, and dearly loved to laugh. She was strong, hardworking, and stubborn.  She loved her family fiercely, and she will be forever missed. She followed all her siblings, her daughter-in law Ildiko, and her wonderful husband Warren into eternity on May 1st.  She is survived by her four children and their spouses, Randy, Terri and Jerry, Doug and Melinda, and Greg and Scott, as well as her grandchildren, their spouses and her great grandchildren, Laura and Ethan; Sara, Philippe and Maya; Kayla, Sean, Afton and Ronan; Katie and Chris;  Mugs, Kristen and Hazel.