Helen 'Jean' Myles

Helen Jean Myles, 84, of Cape Girardeau passed away Friday evening, Sept. 30, 2016, at Southeast Hospital.

Jean was born Nov. 27, 1931, in Aurora, Illinois, daughter of J.W. and Helen Virginia Garman Oran.

She attended the public schools in Naperville, Illinois, and subsequently graduated with high honor from North Central College, Naperville, with a bachelor of arts in English and education. It was at North Central she met her future husband, Kenneth "Ken" E. Myles. They never had any classes together. However, she was editor of the college yearbook, and he was the publisher. Things just happened, and they were married Aug. 22, 1953, at the Wesley United Methodist Church in Naperville.

In addition to her degree from North Central, she attended Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and Loyola University in Chicago. She also received a master's degree, plus 30 hours, from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale and another master's degree from Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau.

Her field was elementary education; she taught for several years in Lombard and Downers Grove, Illinois, Gardiner, Maine, and finally taught middle school at the Southeast Missouri State University lab school in Cape Girardeau. When the lab school was discontinued, she served as associate librarian at Kent Library at Southeast Missouri State University. When she retired in 1996, she continued to work as a volunteer at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center.

Jean was a lifelong Methodist and a member of Grace United Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau since 1969. She enjoyed traveling through most of the United States as well as many European countries, including several river cruises. She also actively supported her husband, Ken Myles, who has been very active in the Shriners organization, particularly the Shriners Hospitals for Children in St. Louis.

She always has had two great passions. One was getting together with her friends for a friendly game of bridge; the other passion was for baseball. She would watch every Cardinals game. If the Cards were not playing, then she would watch the Cubs, the Royals, or, for that matter, almost any other team. She would always try to adjust her social schedule so she would not miss a game and would get upset if a game was not televised. She was also very fond of ice cream and chocolate, and especially loved visits with her grandkids.

She is survived by her husband, Kenneth E. Myles of Cape Girardeau; daughter, Barbara Jean Myles of St. Louis; son, Thomas Daniel (Rosa Maria) Myles, M.D., of Chesterfield, Missouri; son, Stephen James (Terry) Myles of Arnold, Missouri; daughter, Susan Jean Myles (Scott) Corbin of Imperial, Missouri; and a sister, Mary Ruth Oran of San Pedro, California.

Grandchildren are Michael Luis Myles, Sofia Rose Myles of Chesterfield, Christopher Ross Myles, Randal Jeremy Myles, Catherine "Catie" Renee Myles of Arnold, Elizabeth Nicole Corbin and Angela Marie Corbin of Imperial.

She was preceded in death by her parents, J.W. and Helen V. Oran; and an infant son, Daniel Ross Myles.

Visitation will be from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday at McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center, 640 W. Independence St. in Jackson.

A memorial service will be at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Tom Sullenger officiating.

Memorial contributions will be appreciated by the Shriners Hospitals for Children, 4400 Clayton Ave., St. Louis, MO 63110.

Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.mccombsfuneralhome.com.