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Bonners Ferry Mayor David Sims will be stopping by to mark the occasion and to pass on the best wishes of the community to this remarkable woman.
From her granddaughter, Kathy Bottrell, written for her 100th birthday:
Beginning when she was a little girl, Imogene (Jean) Bevins followed her curiosity. She read books on how lightning worked and pursued a career in electricity. She was raised by her grandparents in Ohio after being born May 25, 1913. They influenced her greatly.
She followed her grandmother’s advice of “you are what you eat” long before it was a slogan. Mrs. Bevins attributes her long life to eating pure foods and trusting the Lord to direct her.
“The Lord was with me and directing me in the right direction to do His will” she said. “A very active, very interesting life and I’m so grateful for the blessings I’ve had.”
Jean’s life had many ups and downs but her curiosity was always with her.
After finishing only eighth grade, she worked for Howard Hughes when he started an electrical company. When she worked the night shift, she caught pneumonia twice. She did electrical work and was always being asked questions on how to solve electrical problems.
“I told them I didn’t know if I could solve them until I tried,” says Jean, who was often placed in a glass room to be observed while she worked.
Only later when another electrical company asked if she would work for them did she find out what all those questions were about.
“They explained to me that I had done outstanding work and I didn’t realize it,” she said. "I was working on famous things for the company and I didn’t know. They told me I was a certified member of the NASA program. I was so stunned.”
Jean stunned others after she broke her back and walked when they told her she wasn’t supposed to ever walk again.
“I fooled them,” Jean said. “I worked on myself and I did it.”
Though some events were disastrous, they were blessings in disguise, she said.
She enjoyed fixing and taking things apart, including watches and vacuum cleaners.
“I always wanted to help people when I could,” said Jean, who knitted hats and made lap robes for those in need. “We are supposed to help each other.”
Jean married three times, living in Ohio, California and moving to Bonners Ferry in 2002 to be closer to family. She has a son, Jim, a daughter Betty and a step son, Alan. She has four grandchildren, three great grandchildren and two great, great grandchildren.
“I always had help, all the way through," she said. "What I did, I did for Him,”