Born on May 5, 1945, Jean Eleanor Makepeace died on October 7, 2019.

Jean received her Bachelor of Education degree in 1967 and spent her entire professional career as a teacher/librarian in the Richmond School District, where she was well-respected and well-liked by colleagues and students alike. Jean was very active in the Richmond Teachers' Association and spent several years on the executive board. Jean was a tireless fighter for public education funding and teachers' rights.

She is survived and dearly missed by her husband, Fred Valle; her son, Darren Bayne (Maria Preovolos); her niece, Leslie Mason (David); her two grandsons, Leo and Andreas; and her two grandnephews, Zachary and Nicholas. Jean loved her family, good books, good friends, margaritas, travel, and long walks. A toddler would invariably bring a twinkle to her eye and a smile to her lips. She enriched all those whose lives she touched.