Jean Emanuelson Dugan
Dec. 14, 1924-June 27, 2024
Palo Alto, California

Jean Emanuelson Dugan, beloved wife, mother, grand-mother, great-grand-mother and long-time Palo Alto resident passed away on Thursday June 27th 2024 from complications related to a stroke that she suffered in April of this year. Jean was an accomplished vocalist who taught classical and opera singing in her Palo Alto home for over 50 years. A former singer with the Palo Alto West Bay Opera and Palo Alto Singers Forum, she enjoyed performing and teaching students the fundamentals of proper posture, breathing, and techniques for opera singing. She loved singing and sang at her children’s and grandchildren’s weddings, and was a member of Our Lady of the Rosary Church Choir in Palo Alto for over 30 years where her husband Wallace attended church. She was an active member of the Vasa Order of America at Lindbergh Lodge, American Legion Post 558, in Los Altos where she enjoyed many social events with family and friends. She is survived by her children Leslie (Bruce) Snead, Barbara (Mark) Anheier, Eric (Susan) Dugan, Greg (Deborah) Dugan, grandchildren Braden (Kennon) Snead, Bryan (Rhi) Dugan, Krista (Fiancé Cody Titus) Dugan, Joey Dugan, Nick Dugan, and great-grandchild Levity Snead. Jean grew up in Stillwater Minnesota and met her husband Wallace Dugan at the University of Minnesota where they both obtained their Bachelor’s Degrees, Jean in English and Wallace in Mechanical Engineering. They were married in 1950 and lived in Pennsylvania before moving to Palo Alto in 1958. They spent 37 years together before Wallace’s death in 1987. A memorial service will be held at 11:00am on July 19th 2024 at Alta Mesa Memorial Park, 695 Arastradero Road in Palo Alto where her ashes will be interred in her husband Wallace’s grave. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made in Jean's name to the Vasa Order of America, Archive Financial Secretary P.O. Box 101, Bishop Hill, IL 61419, or Sempervirens, P.O. Box 1417, Los Altos, CA 94023-1417.

Tags: arts/media, teacher/educator