Helen "Irene" Jessen

Helen Irene (Kirkegaard) Jessen, 83, of Lexington, Nebraska, passed away Sunday, September 14, 2008, at Yuma Life Care Center in Yuma, Colorado. Irene was born January 22, 1925, in Aurora, Colorado to Anton Christian and Helen Marie Elizabeth (Jersild) Kirkegaard. She was baptized and confirmed at Bethany Lutheran Church in Denver. Irene attended the William Smith High School in Aurora, Colorado and graduated as Valedictorian. She attended Dana College for two years and graduated from Kearney State in 1971. Irene taught school for twenty-five years at Dawson County rural schools #7, 17, and 56 and really got a special joy from working with her students. She was baptized and confirmed at Bethany Lutheran. While in Cozad, Nebraska she met the love of her life, Nis Jessen. She was united in marriage on August 24, 1947, to Nis also at Bethany Lutheran in Denver, Colorado. This union was blessed with five children, Linda, Chris, Cliff, Karen and John Frederick, who died as an infant. Nis and Irene spent fifty-eight years together on their farm just a mile north of the Lexington Airport. After Nis passed away she moved to Park Avenue Estates and really enjoyed her three years there. Irene and Nis were charter members of Grace Lutheran Church in Lexington, Nebraska. She was a very active church member all of her life even until her later years. Irene’s advice to the grandchildren would be, to live right and walk with the Lord, life isn’t always fair but you do your best and to the married couples, never go to bed angry. Survivors include two sons: Nis Jr. “Chris” and Wendy Jessen of Roseburg, Oregon Cliff and Karen Jessen of Apple Valley, California Two daughters: Linda and Dennis Mathes of North Platte, Nebraska Karen and Larry Schneider of Yuma, Colorado Three sisters: Dorothy Snyder of Richmond, Indiana Ruth and her husband Len Svinth of Petaluma, California Ruby Westman of Kearney, Nebraska One brother: Walt and his wife Sandy Kirkegaard of Great Falls, Montana Ten grandchildren: David, Brian, Terri, Scott, Melissa, Stephanie, John, Nicole, Monica and Nate. Nine great-grandchildren: Andrew, Tess, Ty, Victoria, Jake, Liam, Carson, Brenden and Ezra. Irene was preceded in death by her parents, Helen and Anton Kirkegaard; her husband, Nis; her infant son, John Frederick; three brothers, John, Anton and Martin Kirkegaard and one sister, Carol Whaley. Funeral Services will be held Saturday, September 20, 2008, at 10:30 a.m. at Grace Lutheran Church in Lexington, Nebraska with Pastor Megan Morrow officiating. Burial will be in the Greenwood Cemetery at Lexington. Visitation will be held Friday, September 19, 2008, from 4-7 p.m. at the Reynolds-Love Funeral Home in Lexington. Memorials are suggested to Grace Lutheran Church Youth or American Diabetes Association. Reynolds-Love Funeral Home in Lexington is in charge of arrangements. Expressions of caring and sympathy may be directed to: reynoldslovefuneralhome.com.