Jean Anne Mesavage Boone

Jean Anne Mesavage Boone died May 22, 2026 in her home in Terre Haute, Indiana. She was born November 19, 1941, in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, to Anna Helene Shedlock Mesavage and Clement Mesavage Sr. Her parents were the first generation of their respective families to be born in the United States. Both her parents graduated from Penn State University in the 30s. Jean asked the Social Security lady if she needed to know how to spell Wilkes Barre.

Jean grew up in beautiful Northwest Arkansas (Harrison) where her father was in charge of the Ozark National Forest. After graduating from Harrison High School, she went to the University of Arkansas, majored in music, and was a member of the Arkansas Razorbacks Marching band, University Band, University-Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra (as it was known then), and played in the National Intercollegiate band. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Music Education.

U of A was winning football games in those years. She got to march in the Gator Bowl, Cotton Bowl and two Sugar Bowls. Then the year she was at the University of Illinois for another degree, the football team and band went to the Rose Bowl, but she wasn’t in the band, because she was a girl! (No girls in Big Ten bands back then.)

At the University of Illinois she received a master’s degree in Music Education. There she met and married her husband Dalvin of Lubbock, Texas, who was getting his Doctorate degree in Music at the University of Illinois. These two Southwest Conference students enjoyed sitting together in classes. They both played the trumpet. They married December 22, 1964, in St. John’s Catholic Church on the U of I campus.

Jean was a member of Sigma Alpha Iota, Tau Beta Sigma, and Alpha Chi Omega.

After teaching in Illinois schools, Jean and her husband went to Louisiana and both taught at Grambling College and were part of the very first white faculty. Soon they moved to Terre Haute where her husband joined the Indiana State University Music Faculty. Dalvin and Jean were part of the University life while he taught at ISU for 38 years. Their children attended the wonderful University School.

There are four children – Michael David Boone, Paris, France; Stephen William Boone, Indianapolis, Indiana; Catherine Anne Beck (Charles), Indianapolis, Indiana; and Lorena Elizabeth Nutt, Lubbock, Texas. There are three grandchildren - Riley and Reese Boone, of Indianapolis, and Emerlee BethAnne of Lubbock Texas.

In addition to her children, Jean is survived by nieces De’An Tate (Rick) of Spring, Texas, Emily Hearn (Scott) of Lubbock, Annie Mesavage Church (Kyle) of Ellicott City, Maryland.

She was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Clement Mesavage Jr.

Visitation will be at the Callahan and Hughes Funeral Home in Terre Haute, Indiana on Monday June 1 at 10 a.m. with a funeral service to follow at 11 a.m. Burial will follow at Highland Lawn Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Terre Haute Symphony Orchestra.