to national parks and points beyond, cooked wonderful meals, and enjoyed hours on the back porch watching birds and other wildlife in their beautiful garden. Jean passed away from Multiple System Atrophy (MSA), a currently incurable neurological disorder. She accepted and met the challenges of living with MSA with quiet resolve, inspiring grace, and sharp humor. Jean is survived by her mother, Grace Dyer; her husband, Mark Schmitz; her three children, Tara Fatka Etheridge, Peter Fatka, and April (Andrew) Fatka-Westlake; and her two grandchildren, Hannah Etheridge and Maxwell Westlake. She was preceded by her father, Ben Liles and her sister, Donna Spicchiali. Jean was a kind, thoughtful, and tolerant person, an avid gardener, swift Jumble solver, and expert pancake maker. She will be missed greatly. The family will host an open house celebration of Jean's life at Reiman Gardens in Ames, on Friday, July 14th from 4:00 to 7:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in her honor be made to the MSA Coalition at multiplesystematrophy.org Online condolences may be directed to:www.grandonfuneralandcremationcare.com