Winifred “Jean” Faison was born May 31, 1937 in Santa Fe, New Mexico, to parents Lillian Hainds Faison and Eugene Carroll Faison. After several years as an only child, Jean became a big sister to baby brother James Louis, known as “J.L.”

Jean’s daddy Eugene was a salesman for Sears, and Jean had a regular gig at the Sears gift-wrapping station at Christmas. She later taught her children how to wrap with beautifully folded corners.

Daughter No. 1 was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Valentine’s Day. Her adoptive parents would name her Susan, and she would say she was 5’12,” ironic given how petite Jean was.

Jean married Bobby Roe and their first son Mark Alan was born in Las Cruces, New Mexico. A move to Southern California brought daughters Robin and Dacia, and little brother Keyth. Jean sought out a variety of creative ventures in Canoga Park and Thousand Oaks, California.

Cake-decorating classes meant we had some extraordinary birthday cakes and consumed her homework assignments. She sewed her children’s clothes and taught them to sew. We joined the United Methodist Church where we all sang, but especially Jean. She helped form a “pop” singing group called The Methodist Mamas, sewing the costumes as well.

Jean was a gifted sewer, knitter and crocheter. An upright piano accompanied the family; her favorite piece was “Für Elise.” The older children learned to play as well.

In the early 1970s, Jean pursued completing her college degree with classes at Moorpark College. In 1974, she and Bob divorced, and she moved with daughter Robin to Santa Barbara and UCSB. Here, she completed a bachelor’s degree in counseling psychology. She regularly had shifts on what would become the Santa Barbara Crisis Hotline.

She worked for the Santa Barbara Research Center in security for over 20 years before a well-enjoyed retirement.

This brilliant and vibrant woman lived independently for most of the last 40 years, first as a single mom, then on her own in a number of addresses, always in Santa Barbara.

Jean got involved with the Coastal Quilters Guild, sewing dozens of community quilts for those in need, decorating her home and delighting her children. She took basketry classes many times through Adult Education, and loved working with the natural materials. She was keen about the nature near her home, learning the common birds.

In her 70s and 80s, Jean was in a yoga class most days of the week. She was a voracious reader and learner, always looking for more to fill her mind. She was interested in anthropology, science fiction and mysteries, but would read just about anything that was well written.

She did the hard Sunday crosswords and Sudoku puzzles, and in the community room of her apartment complex, Rancho Franciscan, she worked jigsaw puzzles and played Mexican Train dominos. Fascinated by genetics and genealogy, she traced her family back to Scottish kings.

In the early 1990s, her daughter Susan sought out her birth mother, and the four children became five, all having Jean’s crooked index fingers that nearly point around corners.

On Sept. 11, 2021, Jean Faison passed away at Serenity House hospice following a sudden and unexpected brain bleed. The family thanks Jean’s neighbor Judith St. King for her boundless friendship and loving care of Jean’s home and cat, Nefret, in Jean’s absence.

Jean leaves behind her brother “J.L.” Faison and niece Rebecca Faison Maberry, and her own children, grandchildren and a great grandson; daughter Susan Essex; son Mark Alan Roe (son Max Roe); daughter Robin Rene Roe (son Cody Frederick); daughter Dacia Faison-Roe; son Keyth Faison-Roe (daughter Kyleigh, grandson Mason, wife Lorraine and step-daughter Amanda).

Jean is predeceased by her parents and nephew Earl Eugene Faison. Jean’s strong-willed companion, the calico girl Nefret, lived briefly after Jean’s passing at ASAP Cats where she actually allowed some people to pet her. She passed away unexpectedly of a stroke not long after Jean’s passing, and now the two are together again.

In lieu of flowers, we suggest a donation to ASAP or ResQcats in memory of Jean or Nefret.