Jean Marie Ottoson

In Loving Memory of Jean Ottoson August 9th, 1946 - August 10th, 2023 It is with profound sadness that we announce that Jean Marie “Jeannie” Ottoson, of Rancho Cucamonga, passed away on August 10th, 2023 at the age of 77. A cherished Mother, Grandmother, Mother-in-Law, Sister, Aunt, relative and friend. Funeral Services will be held at 11AM on Thursday, September 7th, 2023 at the Covina Community Church located at 1551 E Old Badillo St. Covina, CA. 91724. The Families Pastor Noe Rodriguez will be officiating the service. Family and friends are invited to join in celebrating Jean's life and saying farewell to a remarkable woman who touched our lives in countless ways. Jean's journey began on August 9th, 1946, born to first generation Italian American Parents, Oscar P. Tarantino and Elizabeth Marie (Botto) Tarantino in Los Angeles, CA. At an early age the family moved to West Covina and she attended Covina High School (Class of 1964). She was very athletic and competitive growing up and played many sports, she earned her Varsity Letter at Covina High. After Graduation she enlisted in the United States Army – Women’s Army Corp. She was stationed at Ft. Jay on Governors Island in New York. Jean, forever a proud veteran, was honorably discharged after 4 years of service at the rank of Sargent. During her years of service, she met her husband and moved to his hometown in Connecticut and had their son George Jr. They divorced after six years of marriage and Jean moved back to California with her son to start a new life where she raised him in Monrovia and Azusa CA. Over the early years she enjoyed volunteering with a few local civic organizations. She was known to be a highly competitive tennis player competing mostly in men’s leagues and played well into her 60’s, it took a shoulder surgery to retire her from the sport. She also enjoyed all sports and outdoor recreation. She loved her Dodgers, Lakers and Chargers as well as most NFL teams with animal names like Lions and Bengals. She loved going camping in the mountains or spending the day at the beach. She loved animals and all of God’s creatures, but mostly she loved butterflies. Aside from loving their brilliant colors, to her they represented being free. She would always be seen wearing some form of butterfly jewelry and even later in life got a tattoo of one on her ankle. She was known to be an avid gardener and loved crocheting, cooking, watching old movies and John Wayne. She would love to gift her foods (Salsas, Lasagna’s, Fruit Cakes, etc...) and her special handmade crochet blankets. Jean’s career started when she worked for the City of Monrovia from the early 1970s through the early 1980s. She started in reception before being promoted to the Community Redevelopment Department. She later transferred to the City of Monrovia Police Department in the early 80s. Primarily due to the stress she left the Police Department. She then started a career in Marketing. First, working for a few years at Megatape in Duarte before landing a position in the sports industry with Lynx golf in the late 90s. She worked there for many years on ads and was proud to be a part of their largest marketing campaign of that time, the Black Cat line of golf clubs. She loved that she was able to travel to and represent her company’s product at Golfing conventions and trade shows. This also allowed her to meet many of golf’s top players, sports celebrities, actors and entertainers of the time. Ultimately the company was sold and moved out of state. She finished her career in Marketing at UVP in Upland California before retiring in 2021. She made many lifelong friends along the way. It was difficult for her to leave each company and said that the hardest part of retiring was leaving her friends and co-workers. Jean is survived by her son George Ottoson Jr and his wife Mary, her grandsons Tanner and His wife Stef, and Trevor Ottoson, who were all her absolute pride and joys. Her walls were crowded with pictures of the entire family but, mostly of her Son and Grandsons. She spoke of them often with a gleam in her eye and love in her heart. She kept every picture, card and drawing she had ever received from them. She also is survived by her sisters Ednoa Hill and her husband Toms, Christina Hoy and Carol Isaia-Montoya. As the oldest of four, Jean loved to spend time with them when not with her son and his family. They shared that special bond that transcended time and distance, a testament to the unbreakable ties of sisterhood. Also survived by other family members that she loved dearly, her niece Tava and her husband Jon and their daughter/great-niece Violet, Bill Erlich and his daughters/great-nieces Samantha and Elizabeth. Her nephews Travis Hill and Byron Hill and his wife Amber. Jean is preceded in death by many beloved lost family members including her father Oscar Tarantino, her mother Elizabeth Marie Sanders, her niece Katie Elrich, and her brother-in-law David Hoy. Her memory will forever inspire us to embrace life's moments with the same joy of life, strength, resilience, and warmth that she embodied. While we grieve her loss, we also celebrate the many memories and experiences that she shared with us all. As we bid farewell to Jean Ottoson, let us find solace in the love she shared and the everlasting mark she left on us. May her soul find eternal peace, and may her memory continue to brighten our days.

Jean Marie Ottoson

August 9, 1946 - August 10, 2023