Jean was born on Oct. 25, 1924, in White Plains, N.Y., the daughter of Leslie I. and Mildred (Townsend) DeVoe.

Jean worked as an executive secretary for Young & Rubicon in New York City and American Can Company of Greenwich, Conn. for many years.

She was a former member of the St. Paul's Methodist Church in Hartsdale, N.Y. and most recently a member of the Bible Baptist Independence Church in North Hebron.

Jean was married to John C. Ptacek Jr. for 58 years. They traveled extensively throughout the United States together to attend many Marine Corps. reunions and to attend reunions of the USS Mobile and USS South Dakota.