Obituary of Jean Rae Meersman

In Loving Memory of Jean R. Meersman Jean R. (Ransberger) Meersman, 63, of Kingman, Arizona, passed away peacefully on Saturday, November 12, 2022, with her family by her side. Born on October 21, 1959, in Danville, Illinois, she was the daughter of the late, Daniel D. Ransberger, and Joan M. (Phillips) Ransberger of Kingman, Arizona, who she felt fortunate to live near at every stage of life. Jean was the loving wife of her high school sweetheart and lifelong partner, Michael Meersman, sharing over 44 years of marriage. Jean is the mother of two sons: Daniel L. Meersman, husband of Carrie (Stolt) Meersman of Fort Washington, PA, and Jason P. Meersman, husband of Lara (Haskins) Meersman of Fairfield, CT. In addition to them, Jean is survived by four grandchildren (Eliza Meersman, 14, Ethan Meersman, 12, Malin Meersman, 10, and Luella Meersman, 8), her sister, Jane Sloan of Bullhead City, AZ, who she was especially close with, her brother, Joe Ransberger of Fort Lauderdale, FL, and many loving nieces and nephews. Jean lived her first 32 years in Northern Indiana where she attended Marian High School and became a hard-working young mother who led by example. She instilled these values in her children having fun mentoring them during their pre-teen newspaper routes and neighborhood snow-shoveling businesses. Upon moving to Southwest Michigan, Jean supported her family in their love for golf. She savored the quality time that car rides between junior golf tournaments afforded her with her children and their friends. She frequently served as a willing host to neighborhood pool parties, which often required her to referee “friendly” teenage water basketball games. During her time in Michigan, she was a loyal friend, and maintained lifelong friendships with “The Gang,” her “Ya Ya’s,” and her brother-in-law, the late, Pat Meersman. Amazingly, Jean committed herself to becoming a teacher at age 37, graduating from Western Michigan University Summa Cum Laude in 1996, while simultaneously raising two teenagers. Later, in 2007, Mike and Jean moved to Kingman, AZ, where she continued her teaching career. She was a dedicated and caring high school educator, who always held a special place in her heart for students who she felt were dealt a difficult hand in life. She taught Career Technical Education (CTE) in Business Technology, Accounting, and Economics for three different school districts (Climax-Scotts, MI, Portage Central, MI, and Kingman High School, AZ). While Jean’s peers awarded her Teacher/Educator of the Year honors four separate times, she leaves a legacy in every student she taught and colleague she encouraged. Throughout life, Jean had a passion for enjoying the outdoors with friends and family. Whether it was building early family vacations around the National Parks, exploring recent regional hikes that Mike helped develop for the City of Kingman, or daily dog walks with friends and family, Jean always relished in life’s simple pleasures of sunrise mountain views, Western sunsets, or discovering new locations. Jean glowed in her latest role as “Gigi.” Any available free time was spent visiting the East Coast to visit her beloved grandchildren. She excelled in spoiling them with attention and laughter, and will forever, “Love them a million times!” Jean’s wish was to not have a funeral. In that spirit, services will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Jean’s name to the Kingman Regional Medical Center Foundation. Checks can be made payable to: KRMC Foundation, and mailed to: Kingman Regional Medical Center, Attn: KRMC Foundation 3269 Stockton Hill Rd. Kingman, AZ 86401. For direct payment, please call Ben McGlothlin, Sr. Public Relations Specialist at 928-263-3873. Arrangements were placed in the care of Lietz-Fraze Funeral Home and Crematory. Thoughts and condolences may be submitted to the family at www.lietz-frazefuneralhome.com To send a FREE card to the family go to www.sendoutcards/lietzfraze