Jeannie Kathleen French, age 66, of Brookings, SD, quietly passed away on Sunday, July 1, 2018.

Born in Milwaukee, WI on May 22, 1952, she was the daughter of Wilma (Peschel) and John (Jack)

French.

Jeannie graduated from Pius XI High School in 1970, received her Bachelors of Fine Arts from

Whitewater and obtained her Masters of Fine Arts from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. She

worked for the United States Postal Service and the US Migrant Offices until moving to Spearfish,

South Dakota to be an art professor at Black Hills State University. There, she enjoyed riding her

beloved horse, Prince.

She answered the call to move to White, SD, and then Brookings a few years later to teach art for 28

years at South Dakota State University. It was there that she obtained her Masters of Science in

Counseling. As a tenured professor, Jeannie taught ceramics, 3D design, drawing, and also served

as a faculty advisor. She is nationally recognized for her decorative platters, conceptual ceramic

sculptures, and pottery.

Jeannie adopted and reared her three sons, Nicholas, Jamison, and Jacob, in Brookings as a single

mother. She loved every minute of every soccer game, boy scout meeting, band and orchestra

concert. She was an active member of the Newman Center and St. Thomas More Parish. She

enjoyed taking her sons camping in her camper at Oakwood and Lake Poinsett and riding her little

red moped.

Jeannie is survived by her mother, Wilma French; children, Nicholas (23), Jamison (21), and Jacob

(13) and sister, Mary Beth Szymborski of Mequon, WI. She was preceded in death by her father,

John French.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 2:00 P.M. Tuesday, July 3, 2018, at St. Thomas More Catholic

Parish. Visitation will be one hour prior to Mass. Eidsness Funeral Home is handling the

arrangements. Inurnment will be at Holy Cross Cemetery, Milwaukee, WI at a later date.