Virginia M. Bissen
December 1, 1922 — January 1, 2015
Virginia Margaret Bissen was born on December 1, 1922 to Wendel and Minnie Jacobs on a farm near Portsmouth, Iowa. She attended country school for eight years and since they were the closest farm to the school, the teacher stayed at their place. Virginia was the only one in her grade until her eighth year when her cousin came to live with them. She attended Portsmouth High School four miles from the farm and walked to school morning and night. She attended Harlan High School for two years, living with her aunt and uncle in Harlan. She graduated with the Class of 1940. She took the two year training course and became a teacher but didn’t turn eighteen until that December. Her first teaching job was in country school south of Portsmouth.
After two years of teaching, Virginia was united in marriage to Sylvan Bissen one year after meeting at a dance. They became parents to eight children: Ted, Tom, Dave, Jim, Martha, Dianne, Michelle, and Janet.
She enjoyed having a large garden and canning lots of fruit and vegetables for the winter. She loved raising her children on the farm and having everyone help out. They stayed on the farm for thirty-eight years before moving into town in 1981. She continued to live in Earling after her husband’s death in 1989. Virginia was an active member of the St. Joseph’s Parish in Earling. She was a member of the choir and was a lector. She was a member of the Golden Circle, Alter Society, Earling Quilting Circle and the Catholic Daughters of America, serving as an officer for 20 years. She entered the Little Flower Haven in Earling in August of 2014.
Virginia died on Thursday, January 1, 2015 at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan, Iowa, having attained the age of ninety-two years and one month. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Sylvan; daughter Michelle Klabunde; grandchildren Ryan Fawcett and Erika Lynn Pawlus; brothers Eugene and Gerald Jacobs; and son-in-law Rick Stout.
She is survived by her children: Ted Bissen and his wife Sharon of LaVista, Nebraska, Tom Bissen and his wife Maggie of Defiance, Iowa, Dave Bissen and his wife Peg of Defiance, Iowa, Jim Bissen and his wife Donda of Puyallup, Washington, Martha “Marty” and her husband Rodger Fawcett of Omaha, Nebraska, Dianne and her husband Terry Goeres of Defiance, Iowa, and Janet and her husband John Bruck of Portsmouth, Iowa; thirty grandchildren; forty-three great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law Phyllis Jacobs of McCook, Nebraska; Marrietta Jacobs of Chisago, Minnesota, and Sr. Mary Helen Bissen of Milwakee, Wisconsin; brothers-in-law Jake Brehrendt of Dunlap, Iowa, and Walter Bissen and his wife Catherine of Earling, Iowa; other family members and friends.
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After two years of teaching, Virginia was united in marriage to Sylvan Bissen one year after meeting at a dance. They became parents to eight children: Ted, Tom, Dave, Jim, Martha, Dianne, Michelle, and Janet.
She enjoyed having a large garden and canning lots of fruit and vegetables for the winter. She loved raising her children on the farm and having everyone help out. They stayed on the farm for thirty-eight years before moving into town in 1981. She continued to live in Earling after her husband’s death in 1989. Virginia was an active member of the St. Joseph’s Parish in Earling. She was a member of the choir and was a lector. She was a member of the Golden Circle, Alter Society, Earling Quilting Circle and the Catholic Daughters of America, serving as an officer for 20 years. She entered the Little Flower Haven in Earling in August of 2014.
Virginia died on Thursday, January 1, 2015 at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan, Iowa, having attained the age of ninety-two years and one month. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Sylvan; daughter Michelle Klabunde; grandchildren Ryan Fawcett and Erika Lynn Pawlus; brothers Eugene and Gerald Jacobs; and son-in-law Rick Stout.
She is survived by her children: Ted Bissen and his wife Sharon of LaVista, Nebraska, Tom Bissen and his wife Maggie of Defiance, Iowa, Dave Bissen and his wife Peg of Defiance, Iowa, Jim Bissen and his wife Donda of Puyallup, Washington, Martha “Marty” and her husband Rodger Fawcett of Omaha, Nebraska, Dianne and her husband Terry Goeres of Defiance, Iowa, and Janet and her husband John Bruck of Portsmouth, Iowa; thirty grandchildren; forty-three great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law Phyllis Jacobs of McCook, Nebraska; Marrietta Jacobs of Chisago, Minnesota, and Sr. Mary Helen Bissen of Milwakee, Wisconsin; brothers-in-law Jake Brehrendt of Dunlap, Iowa, and Walter Bissen and his wife Catherine of Earling, Iowa; other family members and friends.
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