Jean Ann (Aud) Rearden, 90, the daughter of the late John Wellington “Weck” and Maud (Leibfried) Aud, passed away Saturday, November 13, 2021 at her home. She died peacefully in the bed in which she was born back on March 8, 1931. Jean Ann was a devout Catholic, member of St. Mary of the Woods Catholic Church (Whitesville, KY), where she attended every possible daily Mass, Devotional prayer and Eucharistic celebration. On one occasion when asked, she helped a young priest remember details of celebrating the Benediction. A child of the depression, she had a strong work ethic and there was nothing she could not do – farming, gardening, canning, freezing, cooking, sewing, furniture upholstery and refinishing, woodwork stripping……she was a skillful multitasker and never wasted anything. She was social and a gracious, welcoming host to all visitors and family in her home.
Jean Ann graduated from St Mary of the Woods High School in 1949. Since no school bus came down Joe Haynes Road, she walked 3 miles to school every day, regardless of the weather. She often joked she invented ‘jogging’, running up the railroad tracks to school when she got a late start from home. She missed only one day of school in 12 years. On May 13, 1950, a day she described as “the best day of her life”, she married her surviving husband of 71 years, Joseph “Joe” “J.W.” William Rearden in a double wedding ceremony with her best friend Sis (Howard) Bickett and Joe’s best friend Anselm Bickett.
For 13 years from 1953 to 1966, Jean Ann was the bookkeeper and payroll master at Roby and Rearden Drilling Company. At the request of Father Martin Nakstoll she quit her other job at General Electric in the late 1950’s to begin teaching at St, Mary of the Woods Grade School. After several years she transferred to Our Lady of Lourdes in Owensboro led at the time by Pastor Fr. Victor Boarman. Through classes at night, on the weekends and in the summer, she completed her Bachelor of Science in Education in 1969 from Brescia University and her Masters of Arts in Education in 1977 from Western Kentucky University. After a short teaching hiatus to raise her daughters until they started school, she returned to teaching at Mary Carrico Memorial in Knottsville and retired in 1996. She gave her utmost effort to ensure every student received the excellent education they deserved. After retirement she participated in McCauley classes and for several years spent every Friday morning, usually accompanied by her late sister Lillian, visiting all of the residents at the Fordsville Rest Home and taking Communion to Catholics there.
Along with her husband, she went to any length to provide her daughters with every possible opportunity to engage in their interests, including dancing, swimming, playing softball, horse showing, gymnastics and academics. Resting was not in her nature, she addressed each day with purpose.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brothers John “Bud”, Palmer, James “Jimmy”, Jay and Wendell Aud; sisters Ruth (Aud) Cecil and Lillian (Aud) Hagan; in-laws Earnest, Clara (Huff), Truman, and Herman “Dave” Rearden, Helen (Rearden) Coomes, and Mary C. (Rearden) Roby. Jean Ann is survived by her husband, Joseph William Rearden, her daughters Jahnna (Jesse) Valdez and Joli (James) Vavao; 5 most loved grandchildren, Sierra and Sienaca Valdez and Mose’, Mathias and Malia Vavao; sisters Alice (Fred) Howard and Florence McDaniel; in-laws Iona (Rearden) Simon, Patricia (Rearden) Harralson, Sheila (Jones) Rearden and Harold Rearden. She was an aunt to numerous generations of nieces and nephews.
The family would like to extend its greatest thanks to Marcia Howard, daughter of the late ‘Pussy Cat’ Howard, for her help and caring support in Jean Ann’s last week. The family requests in lieu of any flowers, gifts or mementos, for donations of any size to be made in support of her teaching passion – the THS Endowment Fund or the St Mary of the Woods School Endowment Fund; or to Mass offerings.
Visitation will be Monday November 15th from 3-7 PM, with prayers at 630 PM, and Tuesday November 16th from 8-945 AM at Cecil Funeral Home. The funeral will follow at 10 AM at St Mary of the Woods Catholic Church in Whitesville, with burial after at St. Mary of the Woods Cemetery.
Jean Ann graduated from St Mary of the Woods High School in 1949. Since no school bus came down Joe Haynes Road, she walked 3 miles to school every day, regardless of the weather. She often joked she invented ‘jogging’, running up the railroad tracks to school when she got a late start from home. She missed only one day of school in 12 years. On May 13, 1950, a day she described as “the best day of her life”, she married her surviving husband of 71 years, Joseph “Joe” “J.W.” William Rearden in a double wedding ceremony with her best friend Sis (Howard) Bickett and Joe’s best friend Anselm Bickett.
For 13 years from 1953 to 1966, Jean Ann was the bookkeeper and payroll master at Roby and Rearden Drilling Company. At the request of Father Martin Nakstoll she quit her other job at General Electric in the late 1950’s to begin teaching at St, Mary of the Woods Grade School. After several years she transferred to Our Lady of Lourdes in Owensboro led at the time by Pastor Fr. Victor Boarman. Through classes at night, on the weekends and in the summer, she completed her Bachelor of Science in Education in 1969 from Brescia University and her Masters of Arts in Education in 1977 from Western Kentucky University. After a short teaching hiatus to raise her daughters until they started school, she returned to teaching at Mary Carrico Memorial in Knottsville and retired in 1996. She gave her utmost effort to ensure every student received the excellent education they deserved. After retirement she participated in McCauley classes and for several years spent every Friday morning, usually accompanied by her late sister Lillian, visiting all of the residents at the Fordsville Rest Home and taking Communion to Catholics there.
Along with her husband, she went to any length to provide her daughters with every possible opportunity to engage in their interests, including dancing, swimming, playing softball, horse showing, gymnastics and academics. Resting was not in her nature, she addressed each day with purpose.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brothers John “Bud”, Palmer, James “Jimmy”, Jay and Wendell Aud; sisters Ruth (Aud) Cecil and Lillian (Aud) Hagan; in-laws Earnest, Clara (Huff), Truman, and Herman “Dave” Rearden, Helen (Rearden) Coomes, and Mary C. (Rearden) Roby. Jean Ann is survived by her husband, Joseph William Rearden, her daughters Jahnna (Jesse) Valdez and Joli (James) Vavao; 5 most loved grandchildren, Sierra and Sienaca Valdez and Mose’, Mathias and Malia Vavao; sisters Alice (Fred) Howard and Florence McDaniel; in-laws Iona (Rearden) Simon, Patricia (Rearden) Harralson, Sheila (Jones) Rearden and Harold Rearden. She was an aunt to numerous generations of nieces and nephews.
The family would like to extend its greatest thanks to Marcia Howard, daughter of the late ‘Pussy Cat’ Howard, for her help and caring support in Jean Ann’s last week. The family requests in lieu of any flowers, gifts or mementos, for donations of any size to be made in support of her teaching passion – the THS Endowment Fund or the St Mary of the Woods School Endowment Fund; or to Mass offerings.
Visitation will be Monday November 15th from 3-7 PM, with prayers at 630 PM, and Tuesday November 16th from 8-945 AM at Cecil Funeral Home. The funeral will follow at 10 AM at St Mary of the Woods Catholic Church in Whitesville, with burial after at St. Mary of the Woods Cemetery.