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CLINTON — Jean Petkovsek Jeff, loving wife and mother, amazing Nini to her grandchildren, and loyal friend passed away on Saturday, September 25th at the age of 77.

Born in Natchez, Mississippi and a 1961 graduate of Cathedral Catholic School, Jean attended Ole Miss where she graduated with a degree in Statistics in 1965.  She moved to Jackson where she was employed by Deposit Guarantee Bank as an early computer programmer and where she met the love of her life, James “Jim” Jeff.  They married and moved to Yazoo City, Mississippi where they started a family and Jean started her lifelong career as a teacher.

Upon moving to Clinton, MS in 1977, Jean began working for Clinton High School teaching mathematics and soon had the chance to start and chair a highly successful computer science program at Clinton High School that became one of the strongest in the state.  Her love of tennis led her to take over coaching duties for the Clinton High School tennis team and extend her passion for teaching and leading students both inside and outside the classroom.  She retired from Clinton High School in 2001 and her retirement years were filled with extensive travel, volunteer activities, playing bridge and enjoying spending time with fellow teachers and other dear friends.

Jean was a very active mother with her two sons, Tony Jeff and Galagher Jeff, and spent nearly all her free time traveling to tennis and soccer tournaments – often foregoing traditional vacations to travel to tennis tournaments with them and enjoy family time wherever they played.  Her passion for tennis and friends led her and her husband to be part of a group that formed Clinton Swim and Tennis Club, where they enjoyed socializing and created lifelong memories and close friendships with many families from the area that continued through her retirement years.

A life-long learner, Jean pursued further education at several points in her career – including continuous learning of computer software in order to lead and develop the computer programming program at CHS.  Her love of computers, math and learning was modeled as a source of inspiration for her children and grandchildren.   As her schedule allowed, Jean was active with Holy Savior Parish, LeBonte’ Women’s Club of Clinton, and volunteered at the Clinton Visitor’s Center, The Quisenberry Library in Clinton, and local Meals-on-Wheels.

She was preceded in death by her husband, James “Jim” Jeff; her brother Charles Petkovsek of Natchez, MS; sisters Marian Caldwell of Natchez, MS and Anne Long of San Antonio, TX.

She is survived by her two sons, Tony Jeff, his wife Sheila and grandsons James Jeff and Joshua Jeff, of Madison, MS, and Galagher Jeff, his wife Angel and grandson Lucas Jeff and granddaughter Delaney Jeff, of Raleigh, NC.

Visitation will be on Monday, October 4, 2021 from 9 until 11 a.m. at Holy Savior Catholic Church in Clinton.  A Mass of Christian Burial will then be celebrated at 11 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Holy Savior Catholic Church, 714 Lindale St., Clinton, MS 39056-4018

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.lakewoodfuneraljackson.com for the Jeff family