Jean A. Henning Thurston
March 14, 1914 — October 2, 2007
Jean Arvilla Henning Thurston was born on March 14, 1914, to Fred and Jessie (Rains) Smith in Harlan, Iowa. She was baptized at St. Paul�s Episcopal Church and remained a member of that congregation throughout her lifetime. She attended Harlan Community Schools and graduated with the Class of 1934. After graduation she worked for her step-father (E. Olson) at Harlan Contracting as a bookkeeper.
Jean was united in marriage to Maurice "Bill" Henning on April 2, 1938, in Boone, Iowa. Three daughters were born to this union: Jan, Nancy, and Alice. Jean enjoyed many years of raising her daughters and being a housewife and homemaker. She was always there for her children and their activities. She also spent ten years working in the food service department at the Baptist Memorial Home.
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.
In 1971, Jean was married to William Thurston in Harlan. Her excellent memory made her a Harlan Historian; she was able to tell you who lived where or who someone had married. She loved to take car rides but never had a driver�s license herself. Jean loved to spend time with her friends. Saturday nights would find her watching the Lawrence Welk show. She was loved by all who knew her and will be greatly missed.
Jean died on Tuesday, October 2, 2007, at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan, having attained the age of ninety-three years, six months, and eighteen days. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her first husband Maurice Henning, her husband William Thurston, her sister Arlene Gould, and her step-brother Stellan Olson and his wife Iva.
She is survived by her daughters: Jan Mendel of Harlan, Iowa, Nancy and her husband Howard Wilwerding of Boca Raton, Florida, and Alice and her husband John Evans of Oakley, California; six grandchildren: Debra and her husband Donny Lake, Jeanne Hodgden, Dan Wilwerding, Tina Mendel, Billie Jean Ring, and Shane Mendel; ten 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; her cousin Tommy Rains and his wife Jo Hanna of Des Moines, Iowa; her long-time friend Opal Peavler of Harlan; many nieces and nephews; other family members and friends.
A funeral service was held on Saturday, October 6, 2007, with Rev. Glenn Ranking officiating the 11:00 AM service at St. Paul�s Episcopal Church in Harlan. Casket bearers were Dan Wilwerding, Howard Wilwerding, Joey Hodgden, Fred Olsen, Shane Mendel, and B. J. Pauley. Interment was held at the Harlan Cemetery
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Jean was united in marriage to Maurice "Bill" Henning on April 2, 1938, in Boone, Iowa. Three daughters were born to this union: Jan, Nancy, and Alice. Jean enjoyed many years of raising her daughters and being a housewife and homemaker. She was always there for her children and their activities. She also spent ten years working in the food service department at the Baptist Memorial Home.
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.
In 1971, Jean was married to William Thurston in Harlan. Her excellent memory made her a Harlan Historian; she was able to tell you who lived where or who someone had married. She loved to take car rides but never had a driver�s license herself. Jean loved to spend time with her friends. Saturday nights would find her watching the Lawrence Welk show. She was loved by all who knew her and will be greatly missed.
Jean died on Tuesday, October 2, 2007, at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan, having attained the age of ninety-three years, six months, and eighteen days. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her first husband Maurice Henning, her husband William Thurston, her sister Arlene Gould, and her step-brother Stellan Olson and his wife Iva.
She is survived by her daughters: Jan Mendel of Harlan, Iowa, Nancy and her husband Howard Wilwerding of Boca Raton, Florida, and Alice and her husband John Evans of Oakley, California; six grandchildren: Debra and her husband Donny Lake, Jeanne Hodgden, Dan Wilwerding, Tina Mendel, Billie Jean Ring, and Shane Mendel; ten 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; her cousin Tommy Rains and his wife Jo Hanna of Des Moines, Iowa; her long-time friend Opal Peavler of Harlan; many nieces and nephews; other family members and friends.
A funeral service was held on Saturday, October 6, 2007, with Rev. Glenn Ranking officiating the 11:00 AM service at St. Paul�s Episcopal Church in Harlan. Casket bearers were Dan Wilwerding, Howard Wilwerding, Joey Hodgden, Fred Olsen, Shane Mendel, and B. J. Pauley. Interment was held at the Harlan Cemetery
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