Jean Maxine Livermont

Jean Maxine Kemnitz was born in Bloomfield, Nebraska on Dec. 7, 1920, the first child of Ray and Frieda Kemnitz. When she was 5, the family moved to South Dakota, where her parents homesteaded on Pass Creek near Norris, starting out in a sod house. There was no school nearby at the time, so Jean lived with her grandparents, Herman and Emma Jordan, in Bloomfield, NE, for her first year of school, then attended Pass Creek School and England School near Vetal thereafter. She attended high school in Martin briefly before dropping out to help at her parents' bar and cafe in Vetal. She got her first job at around sixteen years old taking care of a wheelchair-bound lady in Merriman, NE, and also worked one summer for her future mother-in-law on the Livermont ranch north of Vetal.

After the family moved to Hill City, SD, Jean worked at her folks' gas station, at the Mt. Rushmore café during the completion stages of the monument, and at a café in Rockerville.

Jean married Louis Livermont on Dec. 17, 1941. She and Louis made their home on the Livermont family ranch north of Vetal, where they raised their four sons and one daughter. In the mid-60's, they sold most of their interest in the Vetal ranch and went into the ranching business with their oldest son Butch and his wife Judy near Interior but continued to live near Vetal.

After Louis died in 1977, Jean continued to live in her home near Vetal until moving to Martin in 1991. She enjoyed travels with various family members to Alaska, the west coast, the east coast and to Hawaii. She was a faithful and active member of St. Katherine's Episcopal Church in Martin, having served on the vestry for several years, helped publish the "St. Katherine's Key" newsletter, and was responsible for cleaning the church for several years until she broke her leg at age 88. She was also active in the Senior Center in Martin and was voted 1995 Senior of the Year by Bennett County senior citizens. And of course Jean forever loved to play Bingo, which she continued to enjoy throughout her life.

In 2014 Jean moved to an assisted living facility in Rapid City, and in 2022, in order to be closer to her daughter Kathy, she moved to an assisted living facility in Dillon, MT.

Jean passed away peacefully in her room at Bee Hive Senior Home on June 1, 2026, at the age of 105 ½ years. She is survived by son Ray -Cheyenne, WY, son Gary (Barbara) -North Oaks, MN, daughter Kathy (Andy) Allard -Dillon, MT, daughter-in-law Judy -Interior, SD, daughter-in-law Mona -Lawrenceville, GA, sister Betty Dunbar -Kennewick, WA, 11 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, 7 great-great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Jean was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, her son Harry "Butch", her son Stanley, and her brother Doyle.

The funeral for Jean will be held at St. Katherine's Episcopal Church, Martin, SD, on Tuesday June 16, 10a.m., with burial to follow at Martin Community Cemetery. A reception and lunch will be held following the burial.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to St. Katherine's Episcopal Church in her honor.