M Jean Harlow

Mittie Jean Harlow was born April 15, 1924, in Dolores, Colorado, to Esther Irene Jones and Ray Sanford Bussard. Jean grew up 12 miles south of Dove Creek, Colorado. This was canyon country interspersed with large flat mesas. She spent her childhood helping her mother, who was in poor health, raise her brothers Martin and Walter. Another brother, Daidee, died as a young boy. Jean carried water in buckets from a dirt pond to wash their clothes on a washboard. She was also a hand with a saddle horse and spent lots of time keeping track of their horses and cattle that ran loose in the canyons. She learned to play the harmonica as a way to pass the time while gathering the cows. Her dad also played the harmonica and showed her enough to get her started. 

She managed to get a ninth-grade education, and in order to help support her family, she went to work in a general mercantile store where she did everything from cutting meat to pumping gas. She was working there when she met her future husband, Wayne Harlow. He was a cowboy and was working for an uncle, farming and raising sheep when he met Jean. June 5, 1943, was the wedding day for Mittie Jean Bussard and Robert Wayne Harlow. Their marriage survived four major wars and numerous small battles. On that day, Wayne and Jean drove 85 miles to Durango, Colorado, where they bought him a new suit (his first) and her a flowery dress. These purchases were made with part of life savings, $300. Then they drove another 60 miles to Aztec, New Mexico, where a Methodist preacher was obtained to perform the ceremony. It turned out that Wayne needed parental consent because he wasn’t 21 years of age. This took most of the day because his parents were living in Compton, California, and in 1943 during WWII, long distance calls were hard to complete. That afternoon, the wedding was performed and before making the long drive home, they celebrated with chicken fried steaks, which cost $.75 each. They arrived late the same evening, back at home of Jean’s parents. Being afraid of a chivaree, they decided to take the truck, which was a borrowed 1938 Chevy, out in the woods at her parents’ place. This worked fine for the most part, except that Jean‘s brother, Martin, slipped out where they were and started beating on a metal bucket with a stick. Needless to say, peace and tranquility were spoiled for the rest of the night. They gave a wedding dance a few days later, and thus avoided a chivaree. They made their home in a three-room log house with cactus on the dirt roof. There was another one–room cabin separate from this house that they used for a kitchen. 

In August 1944, Lyle Wayne, was born in Mancos, Colorado, at a home belonging to a friend of Jean’s parents. Wayne was thrashing wheat north of Mancos at the time. Eight years later another son, Calvin Ray, was born at Southwest Memorial Hospital in Cortez, Colorado. Wayne and Jean were living in a rented house in Dove Creek. Some 12 years later, a daughter, Dixie Jean, was born, also at Southwest Memorial Hospital in Cortez. Wayne and Jean‘s children were spread over 20 years. Lyle, Cal, and Dixie felt in reality that their names were really whoops, uh-oh, and ooh my. Wayne and Jean both excepted Jesus as personal Savior. Wayne was saved under the tractor in a hail storm, and Jean was saved later in her home. Together, they served the Lord until he passed away in July 2004. Jean serve the Lord faithfully for the rest of her life. On April 15, 2024. Mittie Jean Harlow was 100 years old. The family celebrated this milestone with multiple parties, including all generations up to the great–great grandchildren, nieces, and nephews, plus many, many friends made through the years.

She peacefully passed away on April 17, 2024, at 100 years and two days old. She was an active member of the First Baptist Church of Vernal for many years and, in a later years, she was an encourager and a dedicated prayer warrior as her health prevented her from attending services. 

Jean is survived by two sons: Lyle (Linda) Harlow and Cal (Junie) Harlow, both of Vernal; son-in-law Ron Ufford, Jensen; 8 grandchildren; 20 great grandchildren; 4 great-great grandchildren; many nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her parents; her brothers Martin, Walter, and Rollin Lee (Daidee) Bussard; her spouse, Robert Wayne Harlow; and daughter, Dixie Jean Ufford. The family would like to express a special thanks to Canyon Home Care and Hospice for taking such good care of our precious Jean. You cared for her with a smile and heartfelt concern. The family requests no flowers.