Jason Joe Hirschbach 1948-2010

HIRSCHBACH, SWEET, BURSON

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 2/18/2011 at 13:58:01

Sioux City Journal
28 December 2010

SIOUX CITY -- Jason Joe Hirschbach, 62, of Sioux City died Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 2010, at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha following an almost seven year struggle with carcinoid cancer.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at First Lutheran Church in South Sioux City, with the Rev. Jer Gilbreath officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. today, with the family present 6 to 8 p.m. and a prayer service at 7 p.m., at Meyer Brothers Morningside Chapel. Condolences may be sent online to www.meyerbroschapels.com.

Jason was born Nov. 15, 1948, in Sioux City, the son of Paul and Alice (Sweet) Hirschbach. He grew up in South Sioux City and graduated from South Sioux City High School. He attended the University of Nebraska and received a bachelor of science degree in education and a master's degree from the University of South Dakota.

Jason married Diane Burson on Aug. 15, 1970, in Sioux City. He started his teaching career in South Sioux City and E.N. Swett Elementary School. He also taught at Riverview Elementary School and finished his 37-year teaching career at East Middle School, where he was a team leader. Teaching was his passion and he truly cared for his students. He always told them, "Never under estimate the power of a smile."

He spent many years being active at First Lutheran Church. He enjoyed playing the guitar, telling jokes, making people smile and was a master of puns. He was an incredibly loving, giving and devoted husband, father and grandfather. He always said that his greatest gift was his family.

Survivors include his wife, Diane of Sioux City; two daughters, Jaci J. Uecker and her husband, Gregg of Rogers, Ark., and Addie Hollingsworth and her husband, Robert of Omaha; two brothers and two sisters, Ty Hirschbach and his wife, Patsy of Reynolds, Ga., Pam Batten and her husband, Sid of Oro Valley, Ariz., Kip Hirschbach and his friend, Judy Kay of Oro Valley, Starr Penney and her husband, Tom of Omaha; his precious grandchildren, Jaden and Karsen Uecker and Ava Lou and Raylie Jae Hollingsworth; his mother and father-in-law, Maynon and Harley Burson; a sister-in-law, Deb Hundertmark and her husband, Bruce; a brother-in-law, Dennis Burson and his wife, Darlene, all of Sioux City; and several special nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his niece, Britni Cooper; and his nephew, Matt Osterhout.

Pallbearers will be Bob Beerman, Bob Hathaway, Erik Chaussee, Tom Peterson, Bruce Hundertmark, and Tom Penney. Honorary pallbearers will be the Alpha team, Kate Albrecht, Cindy Grause and Mary Murphy.