Jean Hale

A livestream of the service for Jean Hale will be available at 12:30 p.m., Thursday, April 30, 2026. To view the livestream, please click the following link:
Ryan Funeral Home Madison - YouTube

Jean G (Bostian) Hale, passed away peacefully at home on April 23, 2026

She was born in North Little Rock, Arkansas to Jack and Claudia Bostian (McKiever). She graduated from North Little Rock High School in 1961 and attended Baylor University for two years where she met her first husband, Jerry Hale. She had two children and focused her life initially around family. In the 1970s, she moved with her children to Madison, WI, where she started a long career in public service, first at the University of Wisconsin and then for the State of Wisconsin, including at the Wisconsin Conservation Corps and the Department of Employee Relations. 

As a single mother, she faced many challenges of raising her children and developing her career. She also took night classes to finish her bachelor’s degree at UW-Madison, which she finally did in Economics in 2004. While not always easy, she loved her children dearly and made many sacrifices to ensure they had a bright future. She met her second husband, Edward Main, in the 1980s and shared many happy years with him until his passing in 2023.

Outside of work, she was an avid reader with a deep love for science fiction, fantasy, and criminal mysteries. She also enjoyed spending time in nature, especially in cultivating her garden with native plants and painting watercolors. Before she developed physical limitations, she also enjoyed hiking, biking, running, and got a brown belt in Tae Kwon Do. She will be remembered for her quirky sense of humor, her quiet nature, intelligence, and her strong will. 

She is survived by her children, Kris Hale (Stephen Carrington) and Brack Hale; her stepdaughters, Laurie Palchik (Brad) and Cindy Main; her step grandchildren, Dylan Palchik (Keri) and Amber Graffin (Scott); three great step grandchildren, Killian Palchik and Lincoln and Elliot Graffin, and her nephews, Ron Roberson (Kristy)  and Nate Bostian (Kim) and their families. She was preceded in death by her husband, Edward Main, her brother, Ron Bostian, and her parents.

The family would also like to sincerely thank the hardworking staff of Agrace Hospice and Senior Helpers who provided her with care and companionship that allowed her to live her final years at home. In lieu of flowers, the family asks donations be made in her name to Agrace Hospice.

A funeral service will be held at 12:30 p.m., on Thursday, April 30, 2026 at Ryan Funeral Service & Legacy Center, 6728 Mader Drive, Madison, WI. A visitation will take place one hour prior, from 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Burial will follow the service at Sunset Memory Gardens, Madison.

To view this obituary or leave a memory, please visit: www.ryanfuneralservice.com.

Ryan Funeral Service & Legacy Center
6728 Mader Drive
608-274-1000