Jean Wolfe Sizemore's Obituary
Jean Wolfe Sizemore, recent Annapolis, Maryland resident and Arkansas transplant, passed away after a long illness at Cypress Creek Assisted Living Facility on November 11, 2024.
Jean was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas May 16, 1934, to Harry Paul Wolfe and Jean Johnson.
As a young woman, she embarked on an extensive academic journey that saw her earning a BA from the University of Arkansas, two Master’s Degrees in Humanities and Art History and, in 1989, a PhD in Art History from the University of Iowa.
After returning to Arkansas, Jean began a long and fruitful career as a college professor, spending most of her teaching years at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She taught a variety of classes in art history and architecture and became known for her classes on women in the arts and the architecture of Arkansas, which included field trips to significant locations around the state. Her students could immediately sense her love of the subjects and enthusiasm for education.
During her years at UALR she published Ozark Vernacular Houses: A Study of Rural Homeplaces in the Arkansas Ozarks 1830-1930. In the words of her publisher, “this fascinating examination of the Ozark house is a way toward understanding the mind of the inhabitants and their entire way of life.” The first run of the 266-page tome was in 1991 and it remains in print today. She also contributed chapters to the 2018 book Buildings of Arkansas, a seminal text on the architecture of her home state, published by the University of Virginia Press.
Jean became a member of the Quakers and was actively involved in the Little Rock Meeting for more than 25 years until she left Little Rock in 2023. She was motivated by compassion and kindness and was a longtime supporter of various peace and justice causes from women's rights to the movement to end the death penalty. She also volunteered with the Re-Member organization at the Pine Ridge Lakota Reservation in South Dakota.
She was a lifelong learner, avid reader, and fan of the symphony. She was a passionate supporter of Arkansas artists, particularly the Arkansas Arts Museum, Nichols & Simpson organ builders, and the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program. She was also an animal lover, always sheltering multiple four-legged rescues. A warm and compassionate character, she made friends everywhere she lived.
Jean was preceded in death by her husbands: John Sizemore and Shirl Walter; her stepmother: Ruth Wolfe; and her son: Chris Corley. Her first marriage to Carl Corley ended in divorce. She is survived by her three children: Chip Corley, Deborah Corley, and Ben Sizemore (Allison Futeral); and daughter-in-law: Jane Corley. She has eight grandchildren: Harris Corley, Jackman Corley, Bliss Mosser (Nic), Conrad Karsten, Nora Karsten (Chris Olsen), Emma Karsten, Garrett Karsten, Hunter Corley; and four great-grandchildren: Ames and Ernest Mosser and Edwin and Elliott Olsen. She leaves behind two sisters: Cynthia Wolfe and Lynn Vest; niece: Lauren Wolfe; nephew: John Vest; half-brother: Jim Paul Wolfe; stepsister: Ginger Gramlich; and stepbrother: Lou Gramlich.
A celebration of life will be held in the spring in Little Rock.
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