Viola M. Jaspersen

Viola Mae Jaspersen, age 92, of Thornton, Iowa, was called to heaven Friday, June 23, 2017, at the Sheffield Care Center, Sheffield, Iowa, where she had been a resident.  Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, June 29, 2017, at St. Pauls’ Lutheran Church, Thornton, Iowa.  Pastor Rhea Evanson will be officiating.  Burial will be in the Pleasant View Cemetery, Thornton. Visitation will be on Wednesday, June 28, at the church from 4-7 p.m. and will continue one hour prior to the services at church Thursday.

Viola was born April 24, 1925, at a farm in Franklin County, fairly near to where her future husband had been born in 1924.

Viola was the fifth child born to Otto and Mattie (Abbas) Dannen.  Viola was baptized at the Zion Reformed Church near Chapin, Iowa.

Viola attended Swaledale School where she was involved in basketball and choir.

On April 27, 1942, she was united in marriage to Harold Jaspersen at Zion Lutheran Church, in Clear Lake.  They were able to spend 74 beautiful years together.

    Viola and Harold were the parents of two daughters, Darlene (husband Dr. Franklin Weingarten), of Portland, Ore., and Jane (husband Eugene Christianson), of Thornton.

Viola and Harold worked hard side by side and were eventually able to buy their farm near Thornton.  For several years Viola was the school secretary at Thornton and then Harold started Jaspersen Insurance and Real Estate in 1959.

Viola was an excellent seamstress and cook. Viola and Harold loved to fish with family and friends and spent many summers at their cabin in Northern Minnesota and winters in Escondido, Calif.  Viola was devoted to her family and her church.  She was presently a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church, in Thornton.

She always seemed to take time to write just one more letter to family and friends and encourage them to celebrate their lives.  She was truly a beautiful lady inside and out with a wonderfully loving soul and heart warming personality.  He love for life, caring for others and her gentle demeanor will also be etched in the hearts and minds of all who had the opportunity to be a part of her life journey.

Viola’s memory will live on in her surviving family:  her daughter, Darlene (husband Dr. Franklin) Weingarten, Portland, and their children, David, of Guam, Ariel, of Oregon and Aaron, of Oregon; her daughter, Jane (husband Gene) Christianson, Thornton, and their son, Tom Christianson and (wife Kristen), of Belmond; and precious great-grandsons, Court, Drew, and Jonah Christianson; and their son, Tim Christianson (wife Brigid), of Sheffield, and precious great-granddaughters, Delaney and Brynn Christianson. Viola is also survived by brothers-in-law, Arlo (wife June) Jaspersen, of Albert Lea, Minn., and Herluf Jaspersen, Peculiar, Mo.; sisters-in-law,

Marlys Jaspersen, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Verna Smeby, of Northwood, Iowa; brother-in-law Earl (wife Sharlene), of Clear Lake; and sister-in-law, Esther Gilbertson, of Billings, Mont.;  as well as many nieces and nephews.

     Viola was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Harold W. Jaspersen on July 31, 2016; two brothers, Elsa (wife Irene) and Engle (wife Gladys); two sisters, Marie (husband George) and Florence Huntbatch (husband Gibson).

Funeral arrangements are through the Andrews Funeral Home-Belmond, Belmond, Iowa.