Jean James, 84
Jean James, 84, died following a long illness in Milford on July 26, 2020.
Originally from Philadelphia, Jean married her former husband, the late Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Curtis James in 1954, and they spent the next three decades traveling with her four children to live in Wiesbaden, Germany; Burlington County, New Jersey; Bangkok, Thailand; Hampton, Virginia, and Tokyo, Japan.
A cosmetologist, she secured a prized position as staff cosmetologist with the Japan Regional Exchange in 1974 where she traveled from Tokyo to Korea, Okinawa, Thailand and throughout Japan teaching cosmetologists in these countries to master the art of beautifying black clients' hair.
She opened her first hair salon, Jean's Powder Box, in 1976 in Hampton, Virginia. It was there that she met her long-time mate Eugene Ross, who later worked for her as a barber for decades.
Jean opened JG's Totally You, a successful salon and barber shop in Dover, Del., in 1990. She expanded her shop's umbrella in 1992 to include a School of Cosmetology. She opened the House of Style Salon, Barber Shop and School of Cosmetology in Dover in 2008, and moved it to its current location in Milford, Delaware, in 2012.
Jean was the church photographer of her beloved New Jerusalem Baptist Church in Dover where she was also part of the Pastor's Aid Club and president of the Willing Workers Club.
Jean is survived by Eugene Ross; her children, Curtis, Curtia, Curtissa and Jerome; her daughter-in-law, Yvette; her grandchildren, Curtis Andre James, Anton Gerard James, Brendon Alexander James, Donovan Saulisbury, Jermeisha Justiniano (Antonio) and Auset James; her great grandchildren, Shalyn Nicole James, Aubrey Marie James, Nora Renee James, Antonio Jose Justiniano, Alexis Nicole Justiniano and Arian Justiniano. She leaves behind her cherished sisters, Daily Diggs, Irene Snipes and Marie Dunmyer; and her sisters-in-law, Ruby Fulton and Reba Hollingsworth.
She was preceded in death by her granddaughter, Jeanette Meshea James; and great grandson, Adrian Justiniano.