Jean spent her first few years in Hooper and her family moved to Otsego early in her life. She was only ten when her father died unexpectedly, leaving her mother to raise and support their family alone. Her mother soon went to work outside the home to provide for the family, and Jean, being one of the oldest, had to help care for her younger siblings. Although she had much responsibility at home, Jean thoroughly enjoyed school and was an excellent student. She went on to graduate 10th in her class at Otsego High School in 1953.
While still in high school, Jean met a young man named Charles "Chuck" Holly, at a dance in Alamo; and they were quite taken with each other. Over the next few years, their love for each other blossomed and they were married on February 24, 1953, while Jean was still in school. At the time, Chuck was serving his country in the military, and had come home on leave to marry his sweetheart. Unfortunately, shortly thereafter, he was sent overseas to serve in Korea for the next fifteen months.
Upon his discharge, the couple settled into married life together in the Plainwell, Otsego area. To help make ends meet, Jean went to work at the collection bureau in Kalamazoo for a while, before taking a job at the cheese company in Otsego. In 1964, Chuck and Jean were overjoyed with the birth of their son, Chuck, who brought great joy into their lives. Jean remembered how her mother was always gone so much working after her father died and she did not want that for her son, so she left her job to devote herself to the role of a mother.