Jean Marie Matthews

Jean Marie (Keller) Matthews, age 71, passed away peacefully on February 6, 2026, at Litzenberg Memorial Long Term Care in Central City, Nebraska.

Services will be held on February 14th at 10:00 am at the St. Mark Lutheran Church in St. Paul, NE. Lunch and a time of fellowship to immediately follow. 

Jean was born on September 9, 1954, in Palmer, Nebraska, to Charles and Margie (McElvain) Keller. Her early life was shaped by both joy and loss. In 1961, after the unexpected passing of her mother, Jean was lovingly raised by her grandparents, Ward and Fae McElvain, alongside her father. Their steady presence and deep affection became the foundation of the woman she would become.

Jean graduated from Palmer Public School with the Class of 1972. She went on to attend Kearney State College, earning her Bachelor’s degree in Education. Her teaching career began in Beaver City, where she taught English and discovered her passion for guiding young people. She later returned to Kearney State College to complete her Master’s Degree in Guidance Counseling, a calling that shaped the rest of her professional life. Jean served as a Guidance Counselor at Franklin Public School, Filley Public School and later at Dundy County Public School, where countless students benefited from her compassion, insight, and unwavering belief in their potential.

On December 22, 1984, Jean married the love of her life, George Matthews, in Macon, Nebraska. Together they built a home filled with warmth, humor, and steadfast support. Jean was immensely proud of her children and grandchildren. Her family was her greatest joy, and she cherished every moment spent with her grandchildren.

Jean is survived by her husband, George; her children, Dr. Naomi Matthews and fiancé, George Burgess, III and their children, Breccan, Ronan, Jordan and George, IV, Philip Matthews and wife, Jill, and April Matthews and husband, Ben; her siblings, Woody and Cheryl Keller, John and Ellie Keller, and Sally and Donnie Berney; and numerous nephews and nieces.

She was preceded in death by her parents and grandparents.

A woman of quiet strength and gentle spirit, Jean was known for her love of reading, her appreciation for a good cup of coffee, and the way she lit up when visiting with friends. She had a gift for making others feel seen and supported, whether in her counseling office, her home, or a simple conversation shared across a table.

Jean’s legacy lives on in the students she encouraged, the family she adored, and the many lives she touched with kindness.

Online condolences may be directed to the family at www.jacobsengreenway.com

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial to made to the Palmer Public Library or Palmer Rescue Squad.