Jo Ann Iris Thiessen

Jo Ann Iris Thiessen ROCK HILL - Jo Ann Iris Thiessen, age 73, died August 5, 2013. She was born in Thief River Falls, Minn. on March 10, 1940, the daughter of Peter and Bertha Klungness. A graduate of Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn., where she majored in mathematics and physics, Jo Ann had a long career as a computer programmer, beginning in the early 1960s with the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Kansas City, Mo. After relocating to Rock Hill, S.C. in 1973, she was employed first by the M. Lowenstein Corporation and later by Royal-Sun Alliance Insurance Company. A member of both the Accolade Garden Club and the Woman's Club of Rock Hill, Jo Ann was actively involved in her community. She was also a longtime member of Grace Lutheran Church of Rock Hill. She was an avid reader, a lover of crossword puzzles and a dedicated sports fan, with allegiances to the Kansas City Royals and the Kansas University Jayhawks. She was also a seasoned traveler, having once backpacked alone across Europe in her twenties. She would later travel to many other destinations, both abroad and in the United States, with her husband of 49 years, Dewain Thiessen. Jo Ann's favorite pastime, however, was cooking, and more specifically, cooking for her family. Her kitchen was her sanctuary and her studio, a place to try out new recipes and whip up old family favorites for her husband, her children and the many friends who visited the Thiessen household over the years. Jo Ann is survived by her husband Dewain; her son, Brett Thiessen; her grandson, Peter Thiessen; her daughter, Allison Thiessen and her son-in-law, Craig Brandhorst. She is also survived by three of her four brothers, Keith, Dale and Gary. Her youngest brother Paul is deceased. A funeral service will be held at Grace Lutheran Church in Rock Hill at 1 p.m. Saturday, August 10, 2013. The family will receive friends at the reception following the service until 3 pm. Burial will be private. Arrangements are being handled by the Bass-Cauthen Funeral Home. Condolences may also be made online at www.basscares.com.