Great-grandmother, long-time CUSD employee, volunteer, traveler, golfer

“Jeanne lived a long and wonderful life with her peaceful passing on New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2025, just before midnight. Her passing was timely as family celebrated her life in celebrating the New Year,” her family shared.

Jeanne was born Jeanne Doris Smith on August 11, 1927, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where her parents, Bernhard Emiel Schmidt (Smith) and Eileen Rose Gregory (Smith) lived in the family home in nearby Wauwatosa. “That residence was the delightful summer visiting place for many years as Jeanne, having moved to California and married Clinton Hazelton, took her three daughters for memorable family times to grandpa Ben’s and grandma Eileen’s home,” her family said. “There they enjoyed playing with cousins, taking entertaining walks with ‘grampy,’ and loved sampling the meals of ‘gramma’s’ cooking skills.”

She graduated from Wauwatosa High School, formative years that were profoundly and forever influenced by World War II. She briefly attended Marquette University after high school and then pursued the development of her secretarial skills. Those skills served her well throughout her career, including at Capital Airlines and McCulloch Motors, and in the 1960s helped her land a job at Claremont Unified School District, where she worked at various schools and the district office, including as secretary to the principal of El Roble Intermediate School, as well as in data processing, and as public information officer. Between 1973 and 1987 she held positions of research/district testing coordinator, director of data processing, and administrative assistant to the superintendent.

While at CUSD, she earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees at University of La Verne.

In total, her CUSD career spanned 22 years. She also spent 11 years teaching community relations at ULV in its Master of Education program.

She also served as president of the Claremont Management Association, participated in the Southern California Public School Relations Association, was an active member of the Association of California School Administrators, and of the ULV President’s Council.

She was always part of her daughters’ activities, including with Girl Scouts, PFA, and their sports endeavors. She also volunteered with children’s activities at Claremont Presbyterian Church, where she was a founding member upon moving to Claremont in 1957.

She was very involved with the Assistance League of Pomona Valley, having been an active member since 1957, and, most recently, in the Lazy Susans Auxiliary.

“When she and Jay Master were married in 1983, they began a life of mutual love and respect, delighting in the enjoyment of their shared passions for travel, golf, dancing, and family,” her family said. Together they traveled to more than 30 countries (several more than once) and visited every state in the U.S. She played more than 2,400 rounds of golf, many as she and Jay traveled the world. She was proud of scoring two holes-in-one. “When not playing golf, they enjoyed ballroom dancing, as Jeanne enjoyed dressing for the pleasure of sharing those evenings together,” her family said.

Despite all her professional and community involvement and pleasure in her recreational activities, her self-proclaimed “greatest accomplishment” and most valued commitment was to her daughters, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

She is survived by two daughters, Devon Jeanne Freitas, and Robyn Lynn DeJournett; grandchildren Tyson Lingenfelter (Jessica), Jeremy Lingenfelter (Alicia), Kenneth Freitas (Edith Robles), Michael Freitas (Annette), Amy Lingenfelter, Heather Granger (Ted), Traci Lanning (Chris), and Ryan DeJournett (Michele); great-grandchildren Sarah (Randy) and Ben, Paige and Reid, Kyle and Katelyn, Joel, Timmy and Tyler, Kelly, Aaron and Brent, and Isaiah, Cameron, Ryder, Beau, and Dani.

She was predeceased by sons-in-law Robert DeJournett and Charles Freitas; and daughter Terrill (Teri) Eileen Lingenfelter.

A celebration of life will be held at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, January 31 at Claremont Presbyterian Church, 1111 N. Mountain Ave, Claremont 91711, with a reception to follow in Fellowship Hall. The service will be livestreamed on the CPC Facebook page at facebook.com/claremontpres and on the church’s YouTube channel.

Private interment will be next to her beloved husband Jay.

Donations may be made to the Assistance League of Pomona Valley at alpv.org, or Claremont Presbyterian Church in memory of Jeanne Master at claremontpres.org/giving-2.