Ladene "Jean" Diane Carstens Raspotnik's Obituary
Ladene “Jean” Diane Carstens Raspotnik, 85, a wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, passed away on August 29, 2025, after a long and courageous battle with Parkinson’s Disease. Born on May 17, 1940, in Dows, Iowa to Lena and John Carstens, Jean brought beauty and growth to everything she touched.
As a mother of three, grandmother of four, and great grandmother of one, Jean cultivated not only spectacular gardens but also a family rooted in love and respect for nature. Her backyards were a wonderland where her children and grandchildren learned about ecosystems, seasons, and the joy of nurturing living things. Jean’s greatest joy came from spending time with her family, her cat, and fostering a loving environment. She loved puzzles, collectables, and card games, especially Cribbage where she dominated everyone, all the time.
Jean founded JR Distributing in 1989 and quickly led the local market in the sale of bronze, brass, solder, sheet lead, then later commercial tires and warehousing. In a market led by men, Jean quickly earned a reputation as being kind, smart, fair, reasonable, and tough. The company survives to this day, managed by her three children.
Jean married Richard “Dick” Raspotnik in 1962 in Des Moines, Iowa. They would eventually move to Kansas, Colorado, then finally Oregon. Richard sadly passed away in 2018 of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. At the time of his death, they had been married for 56 wonderful years.
Jean is survived by her three children, Robynne, Dawn, and Rich and their families. As per Jean’s wishes, there will be no services.
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