Jean Mae McCafferty

Jean Mae (Gillette) McCafferty passed away peacefully on April 23, 2025, surrounded by her family. Her final days were spent with her children, grandchildren, extended family, and friends at her side. As she would have wanted, we shared in many laughs and memories. It was heart-warming to walk in her front door and hear the laughter and joyous conversation. Jean had the best sense of humor and was always laughing, even if it was at herself. At one granddaughter’s bridal shower, she gave the insightful advice to “always laugh, even if it isn’t funny at the time.”

Jean was born on May 9, 1929, in Great Falls, MT, to Norman and Kay Gillette. She was raised and schooled in Belt, MT, and attended Montana State University for a time. She married the love of her life, Bob McCafferty Jr, on September 23, 1950. Jean and Bob made their life on the ranch in Tiger Butte, where they welcomed their four children, John (Julia), James (Ginger), Cindy (Burk), and Joel (Cindy).

Jean and Bob were married for 72 incredible years before Bob’s passing. Their relationship was a beautiful testimony to their family and friends. Tenderly loving each other through the ups and downs of life, you could often find them whispering jokes, holding hands, or dancing in the kitchen to their favorite songs. She served her family well by loving God and then loving her Bobby.

She had many passions-a couple of which were reading and music. She was a voracious reader and instilled this love into her children and grandchildren. Music was always an important part of Jean’s life. She played piano alongside Bob’s guitar or saxophone at weekend barn dances while their children were young. They were also always a part of the church choir.

Her blessings and joys were many, but her proudest accomplishment was her family. Getting together with her children and grandchildren was always a priority. She always was the first they ran to, as they knew they would be met with unconditional love, support, and guidance. Jean was a huge supporter of her children's and grandchildren’s extracurricular events- no distance was too far to travel to cheer for her family. Bob and Jean crisscrossed the United States watching their grandkids and she could often be heard as the loudest one in the crowd. Summer vacations at the lake were a tradition that Bob and Jean started and cherished. She loved swimming and taught everyone the “grandmother” stroke. When around her family, Jean could be found cooking, baking, and playing games which always included tears of laughter and storytelling.

Most importantly, she loved Jesus with her whole heart. Her entire life exuded the love and heart of Christ so well. Her entire life was her ministry. She was a sinner saved by grace and she lived her life accordingly with her husband, Bob. The following quote defines Jean so well - “Only as we drink down the kindness of the heart of Christ will we leave in our wake, everywhere we go, the aroma of Heaven, and die one day having startled the world with glimpses of a divine kindness too great to be boxed in by what we deserve.” We know that when she got to meet her Lord and Savior she heard, “Well done my good and faithful servant.”

Jean was preceded in death by her parents, Norman and Kay Gillette; sister and brother-in-law, Janet and Earl Baker; mother-in-law and father-in-law, Bob and Lourena McCafferty; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Betty Jean and Wilfred Miller; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Calvin and Elaine McCafferty; and her husband, Bob. Left to mourn her passing, but also celebrate a life well lived are her children and their spouses, John and Julia McCafferty, Jim and Ginger McCafferty, Cindy and Burk Beadle, and Joel and Cindy McCafferty, 10 grandchildren and their spouses, 19 great-grandchildren, many nieces and nephews, and friends.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 4, 2025, at Belt Community Church. She is laid to rest next to her husband at Highland Cemetery.