Jessen, Merton L. "Stub" 1922-2013

JESSEN, KLENK, MARIENAU

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 4/13/2013 at 12:53:32

Thursday, March 7, 2013
Le Mars Daily Sentinel

Merton L. "Stub" Jessen, 90 of Le Mars, formerly of Merrill, died Wednesday, March 6, 2013 at Good Samaritan Society-Le Mars.

Merton Leslie "Stub" Jessen was born June 3, 1922, to Elmer and Louise (Klenk) Jessen. He attended school in Merrill, graduating with the largest class to graduate from Merrill in 1940. He was an exceptional basketball player and earned many honors as a 5'7" sharpshooting guard.

Merton was called to serve his country in 1942 and was captured in early December 1944 while part of a tank battalion in Germany. He was a POW for about four months, and was liberated in late March, 1945. After a lengthy recovery, Stub returned to Iowa.

He was united in marriage to Wilma Eileen Marienau on Aug. 2, 1945, at Christ Lutheran Church (Grant Township), rural Le Mars.

After owning his own business in Merrill, Stub went on to work for the U.S. Postal Service in 1953 as a rural mail carrier. After 32 years of service, and becoming hundreds of area farmers' "favorite mailman," he retired to Le Mars in 1988.

Stub loved his family, sports, and the Lord. Some of his favorite things in life were his grandkids, the Yankees, the Cardinals and the Hawkeyes.

He was a loving and devoted husband to Wilma, and a wonderful father to Barry (Barbara Coffin), Centerville, Utah; Victoria (Robert Brown), San Felipe, Mexico; and Lee Ann Lang, Le Mars. Lee Ann has been a loving caretaker for her mom and dad in the last years.

He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Wilma; his three children, seven grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by brothers-in-law Melvin Marienau, Gaylon Tevis, Richard Stroup and Virgil Vanderloo and sisters-in-law Marian Baker, Bethene Jessen, Norma Vanderloo, Waneta Tevis, and Margaret Marienau.

Merton was preceded in death by his parents; mother and father-in-law Ed and Carrie Marienau; a brother Donald Jessen, and brothers and sisters-in-law Shirley and Ed Marienau, Carol Stroup, Elsie Marienau, Francis Baker, and Frank Marienau.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. John's Lutheran Church in Le Mars. The Rev. Greg Gabriel will officiate. Burial will follow at Hillside Cemetery in Merrill with military honors provided by Oleson - Halweg American Legion Post #125 of Merrill. Visitation will begin at 3 p.m. Friday at the Mauer - Johnson Funeral Home in Le Mars. The family will be present from 6-8 p.m. with a prayer service at 7 p.m. There will also be one hour of visitation at the church prior to the funeral service on Saturday.

Honorary pallbearers will be George Kale, Gerry Kale, Brayden Jessen, Jeromy Plueger, Dawn Vanderloo, and Lowell Klemme.

Pallbearers will be Kyle Jessen, Jeromy Plueger, Rich Jessen, Lance Vanderloo, Kevin Vaske, Brandon Marienau, and Troy Lang.