Jean McGlathery Dance passed away peacefully at her home in State College PA on April 30 at age 90. Jean was an accomplished educator, alumni relations professional, actress, loving mother, wife and friend.  She and Stuart Lee Dance, her late husband of 62 years, and their four daughters lived in State College for decades.

A native of Media Pennsylvania, Jean Dance was born to Ruby McLeod and William McGlathery and had a cherished older brother, Donald McGlathery. She attended Swarthmore High school and graduated from Bowling Green University as a member of Mortar Board.

Jean Dance started modeling and acting as a teen and performed on live television in the 1950's. Throughout her career she brought theater to the communities where she lived and worked.  She acted in many theatrical productions in Centre County and the Philadelphia area. Living in State College with three young daughters, at 36 Jean completed her Masters in Theater Arts at PSU.

After moving to Washington DC in the late 1960's, Jean developed and launched an innovative drama program which grew to include many middle schools in northern Virginia.  Later she produced and directed touring children's theatre in North Carolina and eastern Pennsylvania, bringing plays to young people often for the first time.

Returning to State College, Jean Dance taught theatre, film and arts education at Penn State.  In that role, she taught Penn State arts courses at Rockview State Correctional Institution. Jean directed one of several plays at Rockview, written and performed by inmates.  One of her prison students wrote, "You have brought a bright light shining in a very dark place and my life has been affected forever."

From 1988 to her retirement in 1996 Jean Dance worked in Alumni and Development and other roles in Penn State's College of Arts and Architecture. Jean and Stu were avid boaters into their late 70's. Over 15 years they explored the Cheseapeake Bay in their trawler "The Last Dance" and cruised the Intracoastal Waterway to Florida's west coast where they cruised for seven years.

Jean served on the Sight Loss Support Group Board, was President of the Friends of Palmer Museum of Arts and volunteered to many other organizations.  She was a devoted Delta Gamma alumna and proud member of PEO.

Jean Dance was known to her extended family, friends and co-workers for her original blend of elegance, grace, kindness and humor. A colleague once said of her, ""She is both resource and rock. Beautiful person and indomitable spirit."  Jean persevered through serious physical challenges caused by a congenital spinal condition only discovered at age 79.  In her later years, she was moved and grateful for the many friends in the State College community and beyond who generously gave her family ongoing encouragement and support.

Jean is survived by her four daughters Kimberley Schauble, Leigh Dance, Susan Dance and Jodey Dance, as well as five grandchildren:  Kipp, Cody and Cara Schauble, Anna Livia Mazzoni and Dalton Whitaker.  The memorial service will be held on Thursday, May 23rd at 4pm at State College Presbyterian Church, 132 West Beaver Ave, State College, PA.  In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a charitable contribution to the PEO Chapter 2.  Send to Charlene Harrison, PEO Treasurer, 1219 Deerfield Dr, State College PA 16803.

An online guestbook may be signed and condolences sent to the family at www.heintzelmanfuneralhome.com