Obituary: Jean “Mimi” Sovine

Jean “Mimi” Sovine

(May 2, 1930 –
February 19, 2025)

Our beloved Jean “Mimi” Sovine passed away peacefully on February 19, 2025.  She had been a resident of Downey, CA, since 2017, where she lived with her husband, Charles, at the home of her daughter, Tammi and husband, Will.  

She was the daughter of the late Aden J. and Eden Donohoe Lilly.  Mamie Jean Lilly was born May 2, 1930, on the family farm (known as the Trump-Lilly Farm, Freezeland Mountain, now a historical site) in Hinton, WV, the youngest of five children. She is survived by her husband, Charles Wray Sovine of Downey, CA; her daughter, Tammi Humbert and husband, Will, of Downey, CA; her grandson, Ryan Humbert, wife, Kimie, and great-grandchildren, Asher and Rylie of Downey, CA; and granddaughter, Magen Humbert Meyers and husband, Cedric, of Lancaster, CA.  She is also survived by granddaughters, Nicole Sovine and fiancé, Cory Marshall, of Las Vegas, NV, and Lauren Sovine and fiancé, Tim Egan, of Austin, TX, both children of her son, William Charles “Bill” Sovine, who passed away in 2017. She was also preceded in death by her brother, Oba S. Lilly; and her three sisters, Hazel Lilly Florence, Christine Ruth Lilly Kinzel, and Grace Lilly Vines.  

Mrs. Sovine was a graduate of Hinton High School. She attended Marshall University for a brief time, before starting her career as a telephone operator at Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company.  She met Charles Wray Sovine at a company bowling event.  He was an usher at a local event center, where they enjoyed many fun dates.  They married on March 23, 1957, and moved to Santa Monica, Huntington Park, and finally to Downey, CA, where they lived for 30 years and raised their two children, Tammi and Bill. 

Jean retired after 35 years with PT&T to her dream home, a log cabin that she and Charles designed and had built along the Greenbrier River in Hinton, WV, to be close to her siblings.  Jean and Charles loved traveling, especially cruises, cross-country drives, and yearly visits to California.  In 2017, her daughter and son-in-law, Tammi and Will, drove them out to California to live at their home in Downey. True to her love of travel, she helped make the cross-country trip into a fun-filled “whirlwind tour,” as she liked to call it. They made many fun stops along the way, including an LSU game and exploring New Orleans.

Mimi was known as a great party host, starting with dinner parties for their friends and co-workers, then big birthday parties and creative cakes for her children, and also hosting many family celebrations as their family grew.  Her family credits her with their love of family traditions, family gatherings, and celebrating anything and everything.  She loved all music, but especially big bands, Elvis, and the Bee Gees. She was an avid gardener and loved flowers, especially tiger lilies.  She was always up for teasing, having fun, eating out, road trips, and spoiling her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  She was a skilled country chef and made the best comfort food for her family, including her famous salmon patties and gravy, and her coveted turkey gravy every Thanksgiving.  She lived big and loved generously.  She will be missed so much by all who knew her and her energetic spirit.

A celebration of her wonderful life will be held at Greenbrier Burial Park in Hinton, WV, on Saturday, April 19, 2025, at 1 p.m.  It will be presided over by her nephews, Pastors Robert Kinzel and Ronald Kinzel.  All are welcome.

Submitted by Pivont Funeral Home, Hinton, WV.