Marie Jean Haring

Friends and family knew her as Jean. She passed away pretty peacefully at home in Lakewood Colorado, and was surrounded by family and friends. Jean will be greatly missed by many and not easily forgotten.

Jean was born January 1945, to John and Marie Van Amerongen, in Castleton, New York, where she grew up with two brothers and one sister. She graduated from Maple Hill High School, at the age of 17, in 1962. She then went on to study nursing in New York City. She found a love for care-giving at a young age, as she had to look out for her older brother who suffered brain damage at the age of two and a younger brother who lost an eye at the age of one. She graduated from the Bellevue and Mills School of Nursing of New York University in June 1965. She worked briefly at a hospital in New York City and then for a time in New Jersey.

In the year of 1972, Jean moved to Colorado, and worked at many different hospitals in the Denver Metro area. She met her future husband John Haring at an apartment complex where they both lived, and then again at another apartment complex a couple of years later. John Haring moved from Pennsylvania around the same time as Jean, and they always kidded that he followed her across the country. At the second apartment complex they officially got to know each other when Jean was in a small car accident, and needed a ride to the emergency room, which John obliged. Jean was briefly engaged to another fellow at the time, but ended up breaking it off with him. After the broken engagement, Jean went back to see her sister, and John cleverly sent a dozen yellow roses to her. This got Jean’s attention, and she knew that he meant business and that there was something good about John. Shortly after Jean returned to Colorado, John and her started dating. They ended up getting married on September 21st 1974. As a romantic gesture, John would give a dozen yellow roses on every anniversary thereafter.

In 1977 Jean gave birth to their first child, a boy by the name of Christopher George. Eighteen months later Jean then gave birth to a daughter by the name of Deborah Marie. During this time Jean was still working as a RN and cardiac nurse at different hospitals in the Denver Metro area. In the mid 80’s Jean took a bad fall at a local pool and hit her head and suffered a long lasting concussion. The complications with the head injury forced her to leave nursing and focus on being a stay at home mom. Besides taking care of her own kids she also had an open door for all their friends. Often you could see the neighborhood kids hanging out at the Haring’s. She became like a second mother to a lot of them. Jean was a good supportive mother who will be missed by many.

While being a stay at home mom she also put more focus in helping out at church. She was always helping out with clothing drives, church camp clean up, and other projects. She also helped with getting a ride share program set up, which is still in use today. God and Church were always things which she held in the highest regards. Her relationship with the lord was a very important piece of her life, and she often witnessed that fact to others.

Jean was also a very strong reader, as you could most times always see a book in her hand. She was a wonderful cook, who loved to cook for people, and would send them home with leftovers. Jean loved her Dutch heritage, and always would find things to represent that. She absolutely loved flowers and always had flower gardens and vases full of them. Other things that made her happy were fruit, seafood, veggies, classical music, holidays, travel, and genuine good conversions. She was a very competitive card shark, which we believe was passed down to Deborah and Jason’s daughter Cali. She loved to play dice with her brother Ed, and you could often hear the sound of “Yahtzee!” echoing through the house. Family time was always an important part of her life, and she made a very comforting home to come home to.

Jean was predeceased by her parents John and Marie Van Amerongen. She is survived by her husband John Haring, and her children Christopher and Deborah (Jason), her one and only granddaughter Cali, as well as brothers Ed and Chuck, sister Suzanne, nephews, and close friends.

Her funeral will be held on May 20th at 5pm at Arvada Covenant Church. A live stream will be provided for anyone who will not be able to attend. Flowers are always welcome, as this was one of her favorite things.

“For I know the plans I have for you declares the lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” Jeremiah 29:11