JENKINS, Jean 1932-1998

BENSON, JENNISON, JENKINS, COLANGELO, VERMACE, YAGER, ELLIOTT

Posted By: IAGenWeb Volunteer
Date: 8/28/2010 at 12:11:57

Decorah Journal, Thursday, January 7, 1999
Decorah Public Opinion, Tuesday, January 5, 1999

Jean Jenkins

Jean Jenkins, 66, of Decorah, died Saturday, Jan. 2, 1999, at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse, Wis., after suffering an acute asthma attack in her home Tuesday, Dec. 29, 1998.

A memorial service will be held Thursday, Jan. 7, at 11 a.m., with lunch following at the First United Methodist Church in Decorah, with the Rev. James Dale officiating.

The Fjelstul Funeral Home is handling arrangements.

Jean was born Sept. 23, 1932, in Riceville, the daughter of Lloyd and Margaret (Benson) Jennison. Jean graduated as valedictorian from Riceville High School in 1951.

She then attended Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls, where she received. a two-year teaching degree. Jean taught middle school in the Grafton, Riceville, Jefferson and Ames public schools.

On Dec. 20, 1958, in Ames, Jean was united in marriage to Thomas A. Jenkins of Knoxville.

Jean and Tom lived in Des Moines and Marshalltown before moving to Decorah in March of 1965.

She worked as a full-time mother and dedicated community volunteer.

Jean enjoyed several years as a real estate agent with the A & J Agency in Decorah. She participated in numerous local organizations and events and was an active member of the First United Methodist Church and the Winneshiek County Conservation Board. Jean was an avid fisherman, golfer, singer, bird-watcher and mushroom hunter.

Survivors include her husband, Tom; her mother, Margaret Jennison of Riceville; her children, John and Llew Jenkins of Mt. Pleasant, S.C., John and Margaret Colangelo of Northfield, Minn., Mike and Shirley Vermace of Auburn, Ala., and Ruth Jenkins of St. Paul, Minn.; and grandchildren Jennison and John Will Jenkins, Marie and Jean Colangelo, and Charlie, Eddie and Ruth Vermace.

Other survivors include sisters Mary Yager of Riceville, Jean and Darald Elliott of Sun City, Calif.; brother Sam and Maureen Jennison of Littleton, Colo.; sister-in-law Laura Jennison of Riceville, and 18 nieces and nephews.

Jean Jenkins was preceded in death by her father, Lloyd Jennison; a toddler sister, Anne; a brother, Charles; and a brother-in-law, Keith Yager.

Transcribed by an IA GenWeb Volunteer from obituaries found in the Howard-Winneshiek Genealogy Society Library, Cresco, Iowa.