Alice Jean Bright was born to John and Helen (Rickard) Bright on June 23, 1929. She was the third daughter of the couple. Her siblings were: Ellen (Woolmington), Vivian (Bernhard), and Carolyn, aka Connie (Phipps, Young).
Jean went to Bolich High School in Akron, Ohio, but dropped out after the 10th grade. She later earned her GED. She eloped with Richard Hoffman in June of 1947, and married in Michigan. They came back to Akron and then to Cuyahoga Falls and had four daughters: Jo Anne (Cooper), Janis (Sharkey), and twins Cathryn (Walker), and Carolyn (Kmet).
Jean was a homemaker for most of her married life, who sewed her daughter's clothes.
Jean was sang with the Sweet Adelines chorus barbershop chorus.