Jeanne Colvin is this year’s Colony Days queen, serving alongside her husband, Lamon. She moved to Atascadero in 1983 after she and Lamon married.
“It’s an honor,” Jeanne said.
Jeanne and Lamon have known each other their entire lives, their fathers were friends from before they were married and had children.
“[Lamon] likes to tell the story that I was the first woman he’s ever slept with because our fathers were friends… and our parents use to stay up and put us all to bed together,” Jeanne said.
Jeanne grew up in Watsonville. Her older brother and Lamon were about the same age and friends. She said Lamon was jealous of her brother because he had a baby sister and Lamon did not. When Jeanne was about 5, her family moved to the Central Valley and she grew up going to Modesto schools.
She got married in June 1955 and had four children: Michelle Oldson of Mariposa, Margaret Allen of Elko, Nev., Mari Van Orden of Rescue and Edward Marco Jr., who is now deceased. She divorced her first husband in 1979 and was living in Turlock when Lamon’s wife died.
“We remained friends,” Jeanne said. “Mother and I drove down for his wife’s funeral and we reconnected.”
They married on January 1, 1983. They have the same anniversary as both sets of their parents.
Lamon was a part of the founding of the Atascadero United Methodist Church, which Jeanne joined when she moved to Atascadero.
“Before [the church] could afford a secretary, I was one of the volunteers,” Jeanne said.
The Colvins donated a cross that is located in the church sanctuary in memory of their parents.
“We wanted something in that building,” Jeanne said, adding that Lamon had donated the cross and wall in what is now the Fellowship Hall in memory of his late wife, Dorothy. “The cross was built to fit that area by a retired United Methodist minister from down south.”
Jeanne has been involved in the church as head money counter for the past 10 years — counting money once a month after church — financial secretary and has also been on a couple of other committees over the years.
“I’m not a big committee person,” Jeanne said, adding that she gets involved in things as needed.
She also enjoys cooking and making jewelry for herself and others, but not to sell.
“It’s fun to make,” she said.
Before marrying Lamon and moving to Atascadero, Jeanne worked as a nursing assistant in OB and nursery and later worked as a ward clerk. She’s also worked for hospice and social services.