Jeanne Marian (Ziesmer) Stille was born December 17, 1922, in Garner, Iowa, the daughter of Magdalena (Haes) and William Ziesmer. Jeanne had many fond memories of growing up in Garner with her two brothers and four sisters, whom she admired throughout her life. She graduated from Garner High School in 1940 where she excelled in academics, music and athletics, was a drum majorette for the Garner Cardinals, and was the first Miss Garner in the North Iowa Band Festival. She met her future husband of 63 years, Clinton Stille, in the first grade, but "didn't pay much attention to him" until their first date in high school. They went to a basketball game, which set the stage for a lifelong love of enjoying athletics together. Jeanne married Clint on March 1, 1944, in the midst of World War II, and moved to Princeton, New Jersey, where he was a drill sergeant for the Navy. Clint then served as a Lieutenant on the U.S.A. Bowie, and Jeanne traveled from coast to coast to meet him when it came into port. After the war, Jeanne worked while Clint completed his degree at Drake University. Together they enjoyed hunting and fishing, as long as it did not involve camping and as long as Jeanne didn't have to clean the wildlife. She did, however, cook up a mean pheasant under glass. Throughout her lifetime Jeanne held positions at several companies and was a dedicated employee. She was a telephone operator for Northwestern Bell Telephone Company, worked for Look Magazine in Des Moines and for the County Treasurer's Office and Iowa Lakes Community College Learning Center in Emmetsburg. Above all, Jeanne was an outstanding homemaker who loved her home and family. She was an avid reader and an excellent cook and baker, delighting her family with such specialties as Lemon Love Notes, English toffee, pies of all types, the beloved "Lory Cookies," and her coveted peanut butter fudge. She adored her grandchildren, enjoyed decorating for holidays and was known far and wide for her beautiful handwriting. Jeanne was an active member of St. Paul Lutheran Church for over 60 years, serving as a Sunday School teacher, Mary's Circle member and volunteer. Jeanne was a woman with great intelligence, good taste and strong faith. She believed in the power of education and was a strong advocate for public libraries and schools. She was also a major fan of athletics, supporting her husband Clint, as an athlete at Garner High School and Drake University and then as a coach and athletic director in Mapleton and Emmetsburg for 38 years. Throughout her life she never missed an E'Hawk football game, either attending or listening on the radio. Jeanne faced a major dilemma in 2001 when her grandson became a freshman at the University of Iowa, therefore challenging her allegiance to the Iowa State Cyclones. In the end, she made room for both the Cyclones and the Hawkeyes. Jeanne is survived by her daughter, Lory (Richard) Sutton of Edina, Minn.; her son, Bruce (Corrine) Stille of Northfield, Minn.; five grandchildren: Paul (Erica) Sutton of St. Louis Park, Minn., Kathryn Sutton of Austin, Tex., Thomas Sutton of Edina, Minn., and Kyle and Kirsten Stille of Northfield, Minn.; two sisters, Robertine Gatchel and Doris (Dean) Goll, both of Garner, Ia; and many loving nieces and nephews. Jeanne was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; two sisters, Ruth Solcheid of Seattle, Wa. and Lucille Yohn of Garner, Ia.; and two brothers, Marvin Ziesmer of Mesa, Az., and Leland Ziesmer of Medford, Ore.

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