Jean Payette McClellan
In Memory of
Jean Elizabeth (Evertsen)
Payette McClellan
1924 - 2018
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Obituary for Jean Elizabeth (Evertsen) Payette McClellan

COHOES – Jean Elizabeth (Evertsen) Payette McClellan passed peacefully from this life, surrounded by her loving family, on Saturday, August 18, 2018 at the age of 94.

Born in Troy on February 24, 1924, Jean was the daughter of the late George Albert and Catherine Miller (Wylie) Evertsen. She had been a resident of Cohoes for most of her life and graduated with the class of 1941 from Cohoes High School. In 1942, Jean married Harvey E. Payette and together they had four children. Earlier in life, Jean was employed by Olsen Insurance Company and held other various jobs while her husband served in the US Army. She worked in the mills of Cohoes and as a waitress in the Fifth Avenue Diner in Troy. Upon her husband’s return from service, she primarily was a housewife and mother raising their four children. In 1952, they built their family home in the budding area of Boght Corners, just outside the City of Cohoes.

Jean volunteered for the Cohoes Project Association for 25 years and for Toys for Tots prior to the U.S. Marine Corps involvement with the organization. She was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints since 1957. In her very active involvement with the church, she had many callings and served in various capacities. However, her greatest love was for the music as she served as choir director for many years. Jean was a self-taught singer and organist and always had a song in her heart. A gifted artist, she also enjoyed painting. Her original works adorned the walls of her home and the homes of many family and friends.

Jean had a gift for gab and storytelling and was a natural-born salesman. Over the years, she was involved with selling various home-based business products such as Avon and Herbalife. With a flair and love for custom jewelry, Jean also managed the jewelry department of JM Fields in Latham. After her husband’s untimely death in 1974, she pursued a career in real estate for several years. In 1978, she married Gerald V. McClellan and subsequently became partners in business serving as Vice President and Corporate Secretary to McClellan Business Resources. Gerald passed in November 2011. In ailing health herself, Jean was cared for by family in her home until the need to move to the Eddy Village Green at Cohoes nursing home in 2016.

In addition to her parents and two husbands, Jean is also preceded in death by two brothers and one sister-in-law, John “Willard” and George “Albert” (Florence) Evertsen; two sisters and brothers-in-law, Catherine “Irene” (William) Hull and Margaret (Raymond) Roland; three half brothers, Jurene, Harold, and Henry Evertsen; a niece and best friend, Marla Howell; a nephew, Donald Evertsen; a nephew-in-law, Charles White; a grandson, Jeffrey Warren Donnelly; and, in 2017, her daughter Sharon Jean (Acosta) Jerome. (Jean died on what would have been Sharon’s 72nd birthday.)

Jean is survived by her two sons, Gilbert Allen Payette and Harvey Edward Payette II both of Grafton; a daughter, Lori Payette (David) Belemjian of Loudonville; seven grandchildren: Jeanie Acosta (Greg ‘Mel’ Gibson, Jeanie’s fiance and Jean’s special boyfriend), Sgt. Julia (Andrea) Acosta (US Army), Yolanda, Heather, Justin and Dalton Payette, and Courtney Jean LaMarche; sister-in-law, Mary Evertsen; six great-grandchildren: Stephanie (Josh Andino) Carroll, Brett Steele, Austin Payette, Gabriell Marshall, Alexis Sargent, and Karma Lynn Peno; one great-great-granddaughter, Iyla Andino; several nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews; and many, many friends and extended family.

Friends are invited to attend and may visit with Jean’s family on Sunday, August 26 from 4:00 until 7:00 pm at the Bowen & Parker Brothers Funeral Home, 97 Old Loudon Road, Latham. All are also invited to attend the funeral service to be held at the funeral home at 10:00am on Monday, August 27. Interment will follow in Memory Gardens Cemetery, Colonie.

In the spirit of giving, as Jean was so known for, the family asks that a contribution, in lieu of flowers, be made, in Jean’s memory, to any cause or charity of their choosing. For those who still wish to send flowers, please consider shades of purple/lavendar (Jean’s favorite color). The family also wishes to express their appreciation to the staff and volunteers of the Eddy Village Green at Cohoes nursing home for the care and attention they provided Jean and her family during the final stage of her earthly life.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Jean Elizabeth (Evertsen) Payette McClellan, please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store.

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Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints