lean Findlay McWhirter Oxrieder

DIAMOND LAKE Jean was born in Spokane, Washington, April 17,1939, to George and Petra McWhirter. She joined a sister and brother. The family lived in the Spokane Valley until 1941, when they moved to Butte, Montana, where her father was the first General Manager of the Butte Public Stockyards. In 1944, the family moved to Lacrosse, Washington. She attended Lacrosse Public schools and graduated from high school in 1957. She enrolled at EWSC and graduated with a degree in education. She taught in Othello, Washington, for several years before she married Ken Oxrieder. Ken was in the family restaurant business, Casey’s Restaurant. Jean and Ken had three sons, Kevin, Garth and Kirk.

As a young girl in Lacrosse, Jean was active in Girl Scouts and earned the highest recognition in Girl Scouts at the time, the Curved Bar. Jean attended Camp 4 Echoed as a youth and All States Encampment in Cody, Wyoming, and two National encampments, one in Pontiac, Michigan, and in Colorado, Springs, Colorado.

Jean was active with her sons school activities and in Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. She attended adult leader training course. Philmont B.S. training, and Woodbadge Training courses. During her scouting activities and in college singing and music was an enjoyment in her life at times she was a song leader for scouting functions. With the sale of Casey’s in 1991, Jean and Ken sold their house in Spokane and moved to their home on Diamond Lake near Newport, Washington. Jean was active with her church in choir, quilting, sewing many quilt tops for Lutheran World Relief.

Jean was preceded in death by her parents George and Petra McWhirter, and husband Kenneth Oscar Oxrieder. Jean is survived by her three sons, Kevin, Garth and Kirk Oxrieder.

Funeral services will be held at the Lutheran Church in Newport at 332801 Highway 2, Newport, on April 18, 2026 at 11 a.m.