Obituaries : Jean Helen (Garbers) Kubu

Jean Helen (Garbers) Kubu passed away peacefully on April 28th, 2025.
Jean was born to parents Henry and Geraldine Garbers of Van Horne, IA. She graduated from Van Horne Consolidated High School in 1962 where she was a member of the 1962 Iowa State Champion Girls Basketball Team.
Jean attended Drake University in Des Moines, IA and the University of Minnesota studying Secretarial and Coaching Sports Management.
Jean married the love of her life, Gene George Gregory Kubu, on November 9th, 1963 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Vinton, IA. They moved to Minneapolis, then to Brooklyn Center, and eventually settled in Buffalo, MN making many friends along the way. They were involved in many activities, such as volleyball, card club, snowmobiling, camping and fishing.
Jean worked at Square D Company in Cedar Rapids and Young Quinlan Department store in Minneapolis. She was employed by ISD #877 at Parkside and Hanover Elementaries where she was a Para and School Secretary for 37 years. There was no one more perfect for the role of School Secretary than Mrs. Kubu! She LOVED and protected all those kids that walked through the halls. She knew their name, their sibling's names, their parent's names and sometimes their grandparent's name. She also coached Girls Volleyball, Softball and Basketball at Rockford High School for 14 years.
Jean's passion was her family. Gene & Jean raised their 2 boys, Greg and Talion, in the Rockford School District. You would always see and "hear" her in the stands cheering all the kids on. They built a cabin in Aitkin, MN where they would enjoy the summers with lifelong friends. Jean took advantage of being off work in the summer. She spent long weeks at the cabin with her boys and long weeks down in Iowa visiting family. Always one for taking the scenic route, stopping to explore along the way. After retirement, Gene & Jean would spend summers at the cabin and winters in Yuma, AZ as well as travelling all over the country and world! One thing was for sure, they were ALWAYS together. She loved getting out of the Minnesota winter and being with her friends playing shuffleboard, organizing the ice cream socials and heading over the border to shop. Boy did she love to shop! She would say being a parent was great, but being a Grandparent was the best. She was THE BEST Grandma to Tyller, Ben, Anna and Nick but really, she was a Grandma to ALL. Grandma Jean would cheer all the kids on like they were her own.
Jean is preceded in death by her husband Gene Kubu, son Gregory Kubu, parents Henry and Geraldine Garbers and sister Joan Garbers.
Jean is survived by her loving son Talion Kubu (Sara) of Buffalo, MN. Jean is also survived by her 4 beloved grandchildren: Tyller Kubu, Benjamin Kubu, Anna Kubu and Nicholas Kubu as well as many cousins, nieces and nephews.
Service will be held Friday, May 23rd at St. John's Lutheran Church in Buffalo, MN at 1pm. Visitation will be held from 11-1pm at the church. Inurnment will be held at Zion Lutheran Cemetery in Buffalo. The service will be livestreamed via the church YouTube channel for those who cannot attend in person:
In lieu of flowers, Memorials can be made to the American Cancer Society.