Jean (nee Hahne) Huling
December 31, 1930 ~ June 26, 2016
Jean Huling (nee Hahne) joined her husband Paul in the presence of our Lord, Sunday morning, June 26, 2016 while at her home. She was born December 31, 1930 to William and Doretta (nee Bartholemus) Hahne, and married her beloved Paul Huling on June 28, 1952.
Jean graduated in 1948 from LaSalle-Peru high school in Illinois, and earned a BA in Music from Wellesley College in 1952. She was a classically trained musician who became an expert, and found her love, in Ragtime and Jazz music. She performed as "Sister Jean the Ragtime Queen" with her husband Paul "Laundry Fat" throughout the United States and Brazil. Notable bands were the Eagle Jazz Band and the Steamboat Jazz Band in the U.S., and the Saints Jazz Band and the Original Jazz Band while in Sao Paulo, Brazil. While she was performing, Jean would moonlight as an elementary school teacher in Illinois, Brazil, and Ohio. In 1996 Jean received the Scott Joplin Foundation Award for Contributions to Ragtime. She was the first woman to be honored with such an achievement. Jean was a loyal and dedicated member of Central Congregational Church in Madison, Ohio, serving on the mission committee, music and worship board, and co-chaired the refugee resettlement of 5 families. She used her music talents in church ministry as an organist wherever she went.
Jean is survived by her children Sarah (Lynn) Leslie, Thomas Huling, Martha (James) Brymer; 10 grandchildren; 4 great grandchildren; brother-in-law Donald Huling; and many loved nieces, nephews, and extended family. She is preceded in death by son Paul Jr.; brother, William Hahne, Jr. and her parents.
Memorial service will be held in Jean's honor at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 2, 2016 at Central Congregational Church, 71 Park St., Madison, Ohio, 44057. Pastor Rick Hughes will celebrate. Her final resting place will be at Rosewood Cemetery in Carysville, Ohio.
Friends may make contributions in Jean's name to Nuevo Esperanza Children's Mission in Honduras, care of Central Congregational Church.
The Behm Family Funeral Home of Madison is caring for the Huling family at this time. Condolences at www.behmfuneral.com
View current weather.
Memories Timeline
Guestbook
Sign the Guestbook, Light a Candle
I would like to extend my sympathy to Jean's family. She was a special person and she and I were “pew partners” in church. She will be missed so very, very much.
We are family!! You and Mr Fat were treasures to us and will not be forgotten. We thank God for you and your family. Love Tim, Jeanette and Nick
I've known Jean and Paul for many years, but lost contact. Always enjoyed her and Paul playing with Grugel's Eagle Jazz Band and seeing her and her grandson perform at the Washboard Fest in Logan, Ohio. A great talent who will be greatly missed. I hope that her grandson will carry on her ragtime legacy.
Sister Jean and Laundry Fat performed at Missouri Western State University (St. Joseph) on the Chautauqua Lecture Series more than a dozen times. The main theatre held about 450 people and each time they visited the university to give a performance the theatre was packed. They also performed at various private parties and events in St. Joseph including the Pumpkin Festival, Lee Strang's 50th Birthday Party, a Sutherland Halloween Party, Si Rosizky's 90th Birthday Party, a Tapia What the Heck Party and more.Their demand in St. Joseph attests to both their popularity and likeability. Everyone loved Paul and Jean. We appreciated getting to know them. They are missed.