The Life of HELEN OPHELIA NIELSEN JESSEN
Memorial services for Helen Jessen will be held at Luther Memorial Church on Sunday, August 29 at 1:30 p.m. Helen died at Taylor House Hospice on August 24, 2010.
Helen was born in Aberdeen, SD, on June 24, 1923, to Alfred and Martha (Schmidt) Nielsen. The family subsequently lived in Minneapolis, MN, Storm Lake and Fort Dodge, IA, before moving to Des Moines in 1936. She graduated from Des Moines’ East High (1941), Grand View College and the University of Minnesota (1947), where she received a bachelor of science degree in library science and history. She was elected to Phi Alpha Theta, a national honorary history society. Helen was employed as a librarian at the College of Engineering at the University of Minnesota, at Macalester College, at Drake University and at the Des Moines Public Library.
Helen was united in marriage to Marvin P. Jessen on September 7, 1947. To this union two children were born: Carol Kellogg of St. Louis, MO, and David Jessen of Farragut, IA.
Helen was a true bibliophile. She enjoyed reading for the residents of the former Valborg Home and at Luther Park. She also regularly contributed book reviews to Church and Life, a publication of the Danish Interest Conference.
She was preceded in death by her parents; stepmother, Johanne Schmidt Nielsen; and brother, Glen Nielsen. Survivors include her husband, Marvin; daughter, Carol, and her husband, Ronald Kellogg; son, David; brother, Carl Nielsen, and his wife, Ingeline; granddaughters Alicia and Kristin Kellogg; and nieces and nephews. The body has been donated to Des Moines University, and the cremains will be interred at Highland Memory Gardens at a later date. Memorials may be designated to Grand View University or Luther Memorial Church.
Helen was born in Aberdeen, SD, on June 24, 1923, to Alfred and Martha (Schmidt) Nielsen. The family subsequently lived in Minneapolis, MN, Storm Lake and Fort Dodge, IA, before moving to Des Moines in 1936. She graduated from Des Moines’ East High (1941), Grand View College and the University of Minnesota (1947), where she received a bachelor of science degree in library science and history. She was elected to Phi Alpha Theta, a national honorary history society. Helen was employed as a librarian at the College of Engineering at the University of Minnesota, at Macalester College, at Drake University and at the Des Moines Public Library.
Helen was united in marriage to Marvin P. Jessen on September 7, 1947. To this union two children were born: Carol Kellogg of St. Louis, MO, and David Jessen of Farragut, IA.
Helen was a true bibliophile. She enjoyed reading for the residents of the former Valborg Home and at Luther Park. She also regularly contributed book reviews to Church and Life, a publication of the Danish Interest Conference.
She was preceded in death by her parents; stepmother, Johanne Schmidt Nielsen; and brother, Glen Nielsen. Survivors include her husband, Marvin; daughter, Carol, and her husband, Ronald Kellogg; son, David; brother, Carl Nielsen, and his wife, Ingeline; granddaughters Alicia and Kristin Kellogg; and nieces and nephews. The body has been donated to Des Moines University, and the cremains will be interred at Highland Memory Gardens at a later date. Memorials may be designated to Grand View University or Luther Memorial Church.