McGee, Thelma Jean (Alspach) 1940 - 2022

MCGEE, ALSPACH, SCHWARZ, BEARS, TALBOT, LAPIENE, WILSON, BOYLE, SMITH, ROUNDS, HITES, FINLON, PONSONBY

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 7/15/2022 at 12:00:21

Thelma Jean McGee, known to all by Jean, passed away at home in Decorah on July 8, 2022, at the age of 82.

She was born February 3, 1940, in Chicago, Illinois to Eugene and Thelma Alspach. Her father passed away May 27, 1951, when she was 11 years old.

Jean married Mick McGee on May 17, 1958, in Chicago, IL. They lived in Oak Lawn, IL for 24 years while raising their 5 children (4 born in the first 5 years of marriage). Jean was the coordinator of the McGee household and enjoyed cooking, baking, keeping a clean home, sewing, reading, knitting, crocheting, embroidering, counted cross stitching, gardening, quilting, Bible studies, visiting with and entertaining friends, church activities and chocolate. She also enjoyed being an AWANA leader and director, Bible Study Leader, Sunday School Teacher and Church Librarian. She enjoyed traveling and getting to know new areas of the US while camping as a family, and sometimes with a group of families from church. Soon after their first grandchild was born, they decided it was time to retire and get away from the city.

They moved to LaPorte, IN and managed a hunting & fishing club for 20 years. Jean was the chief host, cook, baker and housekeeper for the club. She also became a MOPS mentor, learned to embroider with her Bernina sewing machine and was introduced to the art of stamping. She began collecting bears, baskets, butterflies, angels and hearts which could be found all over her home. About this time, she started to refer to and introduce her children by the state they lived in: Debi (Joel) Schwarz was Washington, Bonnie (Daniel) Beard was Iowa, Sheri (Tom) Talbot was Colorado, Brad McGee was our son in Alaska and Pati (Scott) Lapiene was Alaska. Nine more grandchildren came along then it was time to retire for a second time and move closer to family.

Almost 19 years ago, they moved to Decorah, Iowa where they celebrated their 50th anniversary shortly before their first great-grandchild was born. They've enjoyed watching the Beard grandchildren grow and attended as many of their school functions as they could. 12 more great-grandchildren have been born since their move here, including 4 in the last year. They celebrated their 64th Wedding Anniversary this past May. While in Iowa, Jean's stamping hobby continued to grow as she enjoyed designing and making greeting cards for family and friends. Jean joined the Red Hatters and really enjoyed their many adventures in 3 states, playing the kazoo, visiting, eating and shopping. The older Jean got, it seemed the more she grew to love chocolate, especially dark chocolate. She became known for that love of choooccoolate and always had some nearby.

A few months ago, Jean was diagnosed with breast cancer that spread to her spine and had been preparing for her going home to Heaven ever since. Jean's love for the Lord was always a big part of her life. She was anxious to go to be with Jesus and to walk in the garden with Him without any pain.

Jean is survived by her husband, 5 children and their spouses, 10 grandchildren [Uriah Talbot, Erin (Torrey) Beard Wilson, Tom (Maren) Beard, Allan (Dakota) Talbot, Jenny Talbot, Sam (Jen) Beard, Parker (Esther) Beard, Cameron (Shellby) McGee, Tarik (Angel) McGee & Jesse McGee], 13 great-grandchildren [Zane Boyle, Kyna Boyle, Audrey Wilson, Nora Wilson, Emma Talbot, Cora Talbot, James Wilson, Lewis Wilson, Wyatt Talbot, Fritz Beard, Simon Wilson, Margaret Beard & Caroline Beard], sister Lee Smith, brother Rick Alspach, brother-in-law Nat McGee, and sister-in-law Mary Ellen (Ted) Rounds, along with numerous nieces and nephews.

Jean was preceded in death by her parents Eugene Alspach and Thelma Alspach Hites, in-laws Nat & Mary McGee, brother Chuck Alspach, and sisters Evelyn Finlon and Joan Ponsonby.

A Celebration of life service will be at Cresco Community Chapel on a later date in August where we will all raise a chocolate bar to her memory. Service will be live streamed. Interment will be at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery in Preston, MN in a private family ceremony.

Jean requested that in lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her memory to Mayo Clinic Cancer Center in Rochester, MN for breast and bone cancer research or to Winneshiek Medical Center Hospice.

Source: Helms Funeral Home database