Born: 9/15/1936, San Angelo, Texas

Died: 5/17/2023, Denton, Texas

"Jean", as she liked to be called, was born in the city of San Angelo, at the hospital there, even though her family lived out in the county. This was because her older sister, Marie, died during her birth at home a few years earlier. Jean was born during the "great flood" of 1936, and her father had to come retrieve Jean and her mother from the hospital, as its basement was filling with water.

Jean was the oldest living daughter of Johnnie Whitfield Prosise and Ella Hermina Helmers. She had two younger brothers, Charlie Ray and Johnny Roy Prosise. She attended Paint Rock High School, where she was the all-state debate team champion, a cheerleader, the captain of the basketball team, voted most literary, and was the valedictorian.

After high school, Jean attended San Angelo Business College, and then used her degree to get a job as a bookkeeper to pay her tuition to Angelo State University, where she started her degree in education – after two years she transferred to finish at Sull Ross University in Alpine. Later she added a master's degree to her list of accomplishments from Texas Tech in Lubbock.

Jean was married to Sherman Ray Wagner on October 9, 1954, and had two children – Teri Jeanette, and Wes Lee. Jean and Sherman were divorced in October of 1971. She later remarried Donald Karl Hilsberg, on July 20, 1973.

They would have celebrated their 50 ^th anniversary this July. While married, Jean was a member of the Altar Guild and was on the school board at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Austin. They were also faithful members of the Austin Saengerrunde, a German heritage club.

Jean taught public school in Andrews, Texas, and then in Austin Texas for a total of 32 years. At that point, she retired, and teamed up with her daughter, Teri, and her husband, Don to homeschool her four grandchildren for seven years.

Jean's hobbies included reading, bargain hunting at estate and garage sales, going to the library, sewing, dancing, traveling, grammar and anything Elvis – she saw him in person at a concert in San Angelo.

Jean is preceded in death by her mother and father, two brothers, one sister and one nephew. She is survived by her husband, six children, 8 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

2 Timothy 4:7 - I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Proverbs 31:25-31 -

She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children arise and call her blessed;

her husband also, and he praises her:
"Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all."
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Honor her for all that her hands have done,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.