Jean Linthicum Graef

Jean Linthicum Graef, born Rita Jean Linthicum, passed away on May 3, 2026, in Johnson City, Tennessee. She was 82.

Jean was born in Washington D.C. on May 26, 1943, to Doris Shivar Linthicum and George Ebert Linthicum. Her brother, George Lawrence “Larry” Linthicum, followed on June 29, 1946. The family moved to Tennessee in 1958 when her father got a job at Bristol’s Sperry-Farragut plant, which produced the Navy’s SPARROW 1, the nation’s first air-to-air guided missile.

Jean was an exceptional student, graduating from Bristol High School in 1961 as the valedictorian and earning undergraduate and graduate degrees from George Peabody College (now part of Vanderbilt). While working at the University of Kentucky library in the early 1970s, Jean had the opportunity to take a two-week course in the MARK IV report generator program, one of the first instances of commercial software; it ran on a computer that needed its own large room. She immediately recognized the potential for computers and rapidly evolving software to revolutionize library science and the flow of information and knowledge in general. In 1977, she moved her family to Cambridge, Massachusetts, the Eastern epicenter of the nascent computer industry. The nexus between technology, knowledge, business, and society defined Jean’s professional life. In 1992, she founded the Montague Institute, an early knowledge management company, to help her clients adapt to the new Internet business environment. Notable clients included the Society for Competitive Intelligence Professionals, the Inter-American Development Bank, Deloitte & Touche, the National Library of Canada, and the United States Senate.

Jean returned to East Tennessee in 2008. In retirement, she remained a prolific researcher and writer. Following the death of her mother and brother in 2014, she had questions about the contents of her parents papers, specifically why her father’s age and birthplace were obviously wrong on her parents’ marriage certificate, why her grandfather was missing from the 1930 census, and where he got the money to buy the “chicken house” she lived in as a child. She spent the next ten years meticulously researching almost 400 years of family history, producing a book that places those stories in a broader historical context. This passage represents a primary conclusion:

“The forces that shaped our ancestors’ world — climate change, social and economic inequality, new technology, religious-political strife, global great power conflicts, the quest for new investment opportunities and a better livelihood — are still with us. Our ancestors were not heroes, saints, or villains. They were humans, just like us — willing to take risks, often able to rebound from failures, and eager to improve their lot in life.”

In December 2025, Jean also completed her autobiography, which she gifted to her children.

While her work brought her immense satisfaction, Jean also enjoyed playing music and spending time with her circle of friends in Johnson City, Knoxville, and Asheville. She loved taking walks in the Tree Streets, tending her rose garden, and trying new recipes and restaurants. She loved a thought-provoking read, shows on PBS, and spoiling her cat. Her favorite part of the day was indisputably her afternoon nap.

Jean is survived by her son William George Graef, a retired technology consultant, her daughter Katherine Jean Graef, a retired soldier, three grandchildren, and her loving partner Jack Branscomb of Johnson City, Tennessee.

Jean was fiercely independent, unapologetic about the path she chose, and believed everyone, especially women, should be able to determine their own destiny. She also valued the publicly available resources in libraries and archives that she used for her writing and research.

Therefore, the family invites donations to Planned Parenthood or public libraries. Or to take a nice nap, preferably with a cat.

Memories and condolences may be shared with the family via www.morrisbaker.com.

Morris-Baker Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 2001 E Oakland Ave, Johnson City, is serving the Graef family. (423) 282-1521