Jo Ellen McLean

Jo Ellen McLean passed away peacefully with her family at her side on September 21, 2024. She was two weeks away from celebrating her 92nd birthday. Jo was born on October 8, 1932 to Jose and Doris Leniz of Paradise Valley, Nevada. She was the ninth of ten children and was given the name Jaunita Leniz by her birth parents. After her birth father died of pneumonia when she was three years old, Jo’s mother could not financially support ten children on her own. Jo and her older sister, Helen, were adopted by Harrison and Ella Grove of Denio, NV when she was four years old. They told her that she she seemed more like a “Jo” and gave her the name  Jo Ellen Grove. 

Jo had a beautiful childhood in Denio, helping her parents run the town mercantile and hotel. Jo attended St. Teresa’s Academy Catholic all-girls boarding school in Boise for high school. After graduating high school in 1950, she married Delmer McLean of Fields, OR. On September 10, 1951 she gave birth to their first and only child, Ronald Clifford (Cliff) McLean. Together Delmer and Jo ranched in Fields and Diamond, OR for 44 years. In 1994, Delmer died after a long battle with cancer. Jo continued to operate their ranch in Diamond before selling and moving to Burns, OR in 1998. On Valentine’s Day of 1999, Jo was set up on a blind date with Bernie Hayes by their best friends. They had an immediate connection. Jo moved to Bend, OR, in September of 1999 to be with Bernie and live near her grandchildren who also lived in Bend. She lived in Bend the remainder of her life. 

Jo was a hard-working ranch wife, loving grandmother and special friend to many. She played piano by ear and could often be found entertaining her friends on the piano at Aspen Ridge retirement home. Jo loved to tell stories and spend time with her two grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. Jo is survived by her sister Jean McDonald of Winnemucca, NV, grandson Dan McLean (wife Kristine) of Redmond, OR, granddaughter Dena Hovey (husband Donald) of Burns, OR, great-granddaughters Emily McLean, Karina Stone (husband Hunter) and Julia McLean and great-great grandson Briggs Stone. Jo is preceded in death by her husband Delmer McLean, long-time partner, Bernie Hayes, son Cliff McLean, her parents and her 8 older siblings whom she remained in touch with after being adopted.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Jo Ellen McLean, please visit our floral store.