Mary Jean Jessen 1921-2005

JESSEN, LYON, GILKERSON

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 5/1/2009 at 15:09:15

Mary Jean Jessen
June 3, 1921-June 14, 2005

Mary Jean Jessen, age 84 of Mapleton, Iowa, died Tuesday, June 14, 2005 in Sioux City, Iowa.

Services were held 2:00 p.m. Friday, June 17 at St. John's United Methodist Church in Mapleton with Pastor Fred Pilecki officiating. Burial was in Mt. Hope Cemetery, Mapleton. Marie Whiteing was the organist for the service and Pastor Charles Layton was the soloist. He sang, "The Lord's Prayer" and "Hymn of Promise". A prayer service was held at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 16 at the Armstrong Funeral Home in Mapleton.

Mary Jean was born on June 3, 1921, in Magnolia, Iowa, the daughter of Charles and Mary (Lyon) Gilkerson. She graduated from Magnolia High School and then attended and graduated from Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls, Iowa. In later years she attended and graduated from Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa. She taught school in Modale, Iowa, Battle Creek, Iowa, Maple Valley Community School and then retired after many years of teaching Kindergarten.

She was united in marriage to Joe Jessen of Mapleton on January 31, 1948 at the Methodist-Episcopal Church in Magnolia, Iowa. They resided and farmed at Mapleton where Mary Jean taught school.

Mary Jean enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and great grandson, teaching kindergarten, reading, bird watching, and watching the seasons change.

She was a former member and Past Worthy Matron of the Order of the Eastern Star, a member of the P.E.O. sisterhood Chapter FQ, the United Methodist Women, the Iowa State Teachers Association, and a life long member of St. John's United Methodist Church, serving on many committees and boards.

She is survived by a son, Robert Joseph Jessen and wife, Mary Jo, of Onawa, Iowa; a daughter, Karen Jean Beaver of Sioux City, Iowa; two granddaughters, Kacee Anne Jonas of South Sioux City, Nebraska and Stephanie Anne Jessen of Onawa, Iowa; a grandson, Nicholas Robert Jessen of Onawa and a great grandson, Daniel Allen Jonas, of South Sioux City, Nebraska; two sisters, Doris Sutton of Denver, Colorado and Dorothy Jessen of Mapleton, Iowa; two sisters-in-law, Billie Gilkerson of Knoxville, Iowa and Hazel Hansen of San Diego, California; along with many nieces, nephews, and Cousins.

Mary Jean was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph Jessen, her parents, one brother, Donald Gilkerson, three brothers-in-law, Charles Jessen, Richard Sutton, and Lloyd Hansen; and one niece.

Memorials may be directed to St. John's United Methodist Church in Mapleton, Iowa.

Pallbearers were Nicholas Jessen, Steve Gilkerson, Ed Gilkerson, Bob Christiansen, Jerry Koenigs and Andy Hatler.

Arrangements were under the direction of the Armstrong Funeral Home of Mapleton.

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