Helen J. “Jean” Myles

Helen Jean Myles, 84, of Cape Girardeau passed away on Friday evening, September 30, 2016 at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Jean was born on November 27, 1931, in Aurora, Illinois, daughter of J.W. and Helen Virginia Garman Oran. She attended the public schools in Naperville, Illinois, and subsequently graduated with high honor from North Central College, Naperville, with a BA in English and Education. It was at North Central that she met her future husband, Kenneth "Ken" E. Myles. They never had any classes together; however, she was editor of the college yearbook and he was the publisher. Things just happened and they were married on August 22, 1953 at the Wesley United Methodist Church in Naperville. In addition to her degree from North Central, she attended Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD and Loyola University in Chicago and also received a master's degree (+30 Hrs.) from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois and another master's degree from Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau. Her field was elementary education; she taught for several years in Lombard and Downers Grove, Illinois, Gardiner, Maine, and finally taught middle school at the Southeast Missouri State University lab school in Cape Girardeau. When the lab school was discontinued, she served as Associate Librarian at Kent Library, Southeast Missouri State University. When she retired in 1996, she continued to work as a volunteer at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Jean was a lifelong Methodist and a member of Grace Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau since 1969. She enjoyed traveling through most of the United States as well as many European countries, including several river cruises. She also actively supported her husband, Ken, who has been very active in the Shriners organization, particularly the Shriners Hospital for Children in St. Louis. She has always had two great passions. One was getting together with her friends for a friendly game of Bridge; the other passion was for baseball. She would watch every Cardinals game. If the Cards were not playing, then she would watch the Cubs, the Royals, or for that matter, almost any other team. She would always try to adjust her social schedule such that she would not miss a game and would get upset if a game was not televised. She was also very fond of ice cream and chocolate and especially loved visits with her grandkids. She is survived by her husband, Kenneth E. Myles of Cape Girardeau, daughter Barbara Jean Myles of St. Louis, MO; son Thomas Daniel Myles, M.D. (Rosa Maria) of Chesterfield, MO; son Stephen James Myles (Terry) of Arnold, MO; and daughter Susan Jean Myles Corbin (Scott) of Imperial, MO, and a sister, Mary Ruth Oran of San Pedro, CA. Grandchildren are Michael Luis Myles, Sofia Rose Myles of Chesterfield; Christopher Ross Myles, Randal Jeremy Myles, Catherine (Catie) Renee Myles of Arnold; Elizabeth Nicole Corbin and Angela Marie Corbin of Imperial. She was preceded in death by her parents, J.W. and Helen V. Oran and an infant son, Daniel Ross Myles. Visitation will be Saturday, October 8, 2016, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., at McCombs Funeral Home and Cremtion Center, 640 W Independence Street, Jackson, Missouri. A memorial service will be held Saturday, October 8, 2016, at 3:30 p.m., with the Rev. Tom Sullenger officiating. Memorial contributions will be appreciated by the Shriners Hospital for Children, 4400 Clayton Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110.

To view Jean’s personal video, click here:http://videos.lifetributes.com/740201