Jean Argo Obituary

Argo, Jean Anderson died peacefully and gracefully in her home in Los Alamos, NM on July 8, 2009. Jean was born Jean Betty Clough to Edmund and Florence Clough on September 18, 1918 in Benton Harbor Michigan. Jean graduated cum laude from Lake Forest College, Illinois in 1940. She married a Navy pilot, Lt. William Alexander Barnett on January 4, 1942. Jean's first child, Faith, was born October 13, 1942. Lt. Barnett was killed during World War II. Beyond this, Lt. Barnett remains a mystery. Jean worked as a baggage handler, stewardess and instructor for Transworld Airlines before marrying Herbert Lawrence Anderson January 3, 1947. Jean had three children with Herbert, Clifton, Kelley and Dana. Jean raised her family in Chicago where Herbert was a professor of physics at the University of Chicago. Herbert first came to New Mexico as a participant in the Manhattan Project and returned often to conduct research at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. Jean accompanied Herbert during his trips to the area and developed a strong attachment to the Land of Enchantment. During the early years in Chicago, Herbert nearly died from a rare respiratory disorder. While nurturing Herbert back to life, Jean raised her four children and still had time to participate in many neighborhood cultural and political organizations. In the late 1970s Jean moved to her home in Rio en Medio, NM where she became Secretary and Treasurer of the Rio en Medio Mutual Domestic Water Consumers Association and successfully upgraded the sanitation of the town. After she and Herbert were divorced, Jean developed a close relationship with Harold Argo and eventually moved in to his home in White Rock (Los Alamos), NM. Harold was Jean's constant companion until his death in 2003. Throughout her life Jean was very active in the community and supported many scientific, cultural and humanitarian activities. While in New Mexico Jean served as president and held other official positions on the J. Robert Oppenheimer Memorial Committee and the Santa Fe Archaeological Society. Jean loved to hike in the mountains and forests of the Southwest. She traveled widely and frequently attended plays, concerts and operas. Jean enjoyed art and collected several pieces from the Precolumbian period. Jean was a voracious reader of all genres from Joyce to Asimov and was well read in the classics from Homer to Beowulf to Shakespeare. Jean was a truly Renaissance woman who will be missed dearly by all those who were privileged to know her. Jean is survived by her sister Carol, her four children, Faith, Clif, Kelley, and Dana, and 11 grandchildren, Arya, Maia, Aurelia, Safyre, Zenon, Fiara, Raya, Myana, Lena, Nina, and Fiona.