Thurston, Jean Arvilla Henning (1914 – 2007)

THURSTON, SMITH, MENDEL, WILWERDING, EVANS, LAKE, HODGDEN, RING, PAULEY, RAINS, GOULD, HENNING, OLSON

Posted By: Denise Wurner (email)
Date: 9/19/2013 at 18:50:18

Name of deceased: Jean Arvilla Henning Thurston (nee Smith)

Aged: 93 yrs, 6 mo, 18 days

Residence: Harlan, IA

Born: March 14, 1914, Harlan, IA

Died: Oct. 2, 2007, at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan, IA

Funeral services: Saturday, Oct. 6, 2007; St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Harlan, IA; Rev. Glenn Ranking officiated. Burial was at the Harlan Cemetery, Harlan, IA

Survived by: Daughters, Jan Mendel of Harlan, IA, Nancy (spouse, Howard) Wilwerding of Boca Raton, FL, and Alice (spouse, John) Evans of Oakley, CA; grandchildren, Debra (spouse, Donny) Lake, Jeanne Hodgden, Dan Wilwerding, Tina Mendel, Billie Jean Ring, and Shane Mendel; great-grandchildren, Jessica Hodgden, Joey Hodgden, Drew Lake, Troy Lake, Alissa Lake, Jenna Jean Lake, B. J. Pauley, Jessica Mendel, Taylor Ring, and Connor Mendel; cousin, Tommy Rains (spouse, Jo Hanna) of Des Moines, IA; long-time friend, Opal Peavler of Harlan, IA; nieces; nephews; other family members and friends

Predeceased by: Parents, Fred and Jessie (nee Rains) Smith; first husband, Maurice Henning (deceased 1966), second husband, William Thurston; sister, Arlene Gould; step-brother , Stellan Olson and his wife, Iva.

Education: attended Harlan Community Schools and graduated with the Class of 1934.

Religious affiliation: baptized at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and remained a member of that congregation throughout her lifetime

Military service: n/a

Marriages: (1) Maurice "Bill" Edward Henning; April 2, 1938; Boone, IA (2) William Thurston; 1971; Harlan, IA

Employment: After graduation she worked for her step-father (E. Olson) at Harlan Contracting as a bookkeeper. After her marriage, Jean enjoyed many years of raising her daughters and being a homemaker. She also spent 10 years working in the food service department at the Baptist Memorial Home.

Hobbies/Interests: After Maurice’s death in 1966, Jean kept busy with her friends and her crocheting. She was a founder of Mickels Tuesday Coffee Club, a member of St. Katherine’s Guild (serving as their Treasurer), and a member of the Eastern Star. Her excellent memory made her a Harlan Historian. She loved to take car rides but never had a driver’s license herself, and she enjoyed time spent with friends. Saturday nights would find her watching the Lawrence Welk show.

Sources: ancestry.com, pauleyjones.com