Jamma Lee Cechota (1936-2022)

CECHOTA, ARNOLD

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 8/20/2022 at 13:14:11

Jamma Lee [Arnold] Cechota of Dubuque, Iowa, formerly of West Burlington, Iowa, was freed from this “crazy, nutty” world on the evening of July 16, 2022. The last 5 years and 9 months of her life were spent at Bethany Home, in Dubuque, where no one could resist her infectious belly laugh and dry sense of humor. Her biggest adventure while living in Bethany Home was a surprise evening at a drag queen show with her daughters and a niece and nephew.

Friends and family will say good-bye to Jamma at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Burlington, Iowa on Wednesday, July 20 at 11:15 am. Celebration of Jamma’s Life will follow on August 20, 2022 at E.B. Lyons Nature Center in Dubuque from 3-8 pm. Friends, family, and Bethany staff all welcome!

Jamma was born the eldest of five in Murphysboro, Illinois, on January 10, 1936. Of five children, she was the first to arrive and the last to exit. Eventually her family moved up north to Coal City, Illinois. Jamma attended the local high school, where her best friend introduced her to a handsome fellow from a neighboring town. Five years later, Jamma and John tied the knot and began their life together on a family acreage. Like many other women in the late 50s, Jamma worked until their first child was born. She was the quintessential domestic mother, 24/7. She baked, cooked, ironed, mopped, canned veggies, washed cloth diapers from 4 children, and took an enormous amount of photos. She loved making up songs and little ditties, most of which we still remember. Jamma loved all holidays and would stay up all night wrapping gifts and creating gorgeous Easter baskets. She once stayed up all night sewing puppets for her kids’ school puppet show, only to hear the next day that it had been cancelled.

In 1972, the family of 6 relocated to the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant in southeastern Iowa. With the kids now diaper-free, Jamma began working outside the home at a local retail store and joined a bowling league. She also became fascinated with garage “sailing” and collecting interesting vintage pieces. She also took a writing course for children’s literature to challenge her imagination. In 1975, Jamma bid on an acreage and they became homeowners for the first and last time. She became known as “the flower lady” from passers-by – marigolds and hollyhocks being some of her favorites.

Jamma’s beloved husband of 58 years died in 2016. She also lost all her siblings: Madolyn, Myra, Phillip, and Buddy. She is survived by her four children: Madonna [Babak Mohajer] in Minneapolis; Cynthia in Dubuque; John Jr. [Margaret] in Dallas City, Illinois; and David [Teresa] in Cedar Rapids and their 9 children: Ellie [Sean], Marie, Caleb, Chloe, Josie, and Carson of Cedar Rapids, Olivia [Devin Quinn] of Charlotte, North Carolina and Isaac in Kilgore, TX [attending college]; nieces and nephews: Debbie, Kevin, and Kenny Carlson and Camille Miller; and best friends and euchre buddies Charlie and Betty Benbrooks in Braidwood, IL.

Jamma’s children are forever grateful for her gift of an idyllic childhood in the midst of the 1960’s social turmoil. May she enjoy plenty of monster cookies and belly laughs in her next adventure.

The family would like to give a heartfelt thank you to the loving staff at Bethany Home who loved Jamma and her eccentricities while accepting her tongue lashings with good humor.

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