Jean Lenore (Entorf) Goldhahn died of natural causes on Sunday, June 22, 2025, at Benefis Peace Hospice in Great Falls, MT. She was 96. Memorial services will be held at Schnider Funeral Home, on Saturday, July 5, 2025, at 1:00 in the afternoon. A reception will follow at Schnider followed by burial at the Geraldine Cemetery.
Jean was born on April 26, 1929, to Paul, Sr. and Nora (Lenore McNally) Entorf in Chinook, MT. Jean was the third sibling of four children, with an older sister, older brother, and younger brother. The family relocated several times and finally settled in Geraldine, MT in 1945.
Growing up, Jean enjoyed riding bikes, reading, and attending school. Her love of the outdoors was fostered in Whitefish, and her insatiable curiosity was evident at an early age. After attending school in Chinook and Whitefish, she graduated from Geraldine High School in 1947.
She married Jim Goldhahn on June 19, 1949, at the Methodist Church in Geraldine. They farmed in the Virgelle area until Jim was called to military service in 1954. Their oldest daughter, Patricia, was born in Ayer, Massachusetts, while Jim was in training at Fort Devens, Massachusetts. They lived in Alaska for a short time while Jim was in the Army, until being honorably discharged in 1956.
After his service, Jim and Jean resumed their life, settling back in Geraldine, where they remained for the next 50 years as active members of the community. Two more daughters, Diane and Laura, were born to them while living in Geraldine.
Jean worked as an elementary school teacher, a Sunday school teacher, a bookkeeper, and eventually she owned her own business, Cakes by Jean, where for 19 years she decorated beautiful custom cakes which she delivered to all corners of Montana. Jean had an innate love of nature, and she was most happy camping in the surrounding mountains or tending to her garden and flower beds. She was also a phenomenal baker, and you could always find a batch of cookies, a pie, or a loaf of bread in her oven.
Jean and Jim moved to Great Falls in 2006 where she kept busy volunteering at Benefis, spending time at Giant Springs, and baking every interesting recipe she could find. In her later years, she enjoyed walking her dog, Abby, around the block or being in her back patio garden, where, even at 96, she could be found on her hands and knees weeding around her irises.
Since 1974, Jean devoted time every day, usually in the morning over a cup of coffee, to building and nurturing her relationship with the Lord. In 2024, Jean felt called to write about her journey and she published a short book to document her walk with the Lord entitled Leave a Trail.
Jean was the consummate cheerleader and stalwart supporter of every one of her family members and friends. She will be dearly missed, yet it is fitting that she passed away a few days after what would have been her 76th wedding anniversary.
She is survived by her three daughters, Patricia Norbury, Diane Gilbreaith, and Laura Goldhahn; four grandchildren, Russ Wood, Kristen Wood, Michelle Sedmak, and Chris Gilbreaith; five great-grandchildren, Carson, Ruby Joy, Evie, Violetta, and Tyler; and her beloved dog, Abby. She was preceded in death by her husband, Jim; parents, Paul, Sr. and Nora; sister Ruth Kobell; and brothers, Paul, Jr. and John.
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