Merlin J. "Jess" JESPERSEN

1929 - 2017

JESPERSEN, Merlin J. "Jess"
(Age 87)

Merlin Johannes Jespersen, long time resident of Spokane, passed on November 7, 2017. "Jess" was born on December 23, 1929, the second son, of Julius Johannes and Petra Olivia (Olson) Jespersen on a farm near Marion, ND. The family later moved to a farm near Dickey, ND where Jess attended Dickey Public Schools graduating from high school in 1947.

Shortly after high school he came to Spokane to visit relatives, and worked on his aunt and uncle's Grade A dairy farm in the Dishman-Mica area. That lasted until he enlisted in the US Army to become a communications technician with the 16th Army Signal Ops Battalion (1951-1953) during the Korean War. Jess received an honorable discharge from Active Duty on 1 March, 1953 and returned to Spokane to make it his home where he lived a full life while enjoying family, friends and a variety of sports and civic activities over his remaining 60 years. Bowling, trapshooting, hunting and fishing were always near the top of his agenda. He was a proud ZAG having graduated with a Business degree in May 1957. His professional life was devoted to developing his expertise in the printing paper industry where he consulted and sold product throughout the Spokane and Eastern WA region. Jess was instrumental in assisting his close friend, Dr "Chuck" Olson in the development of a comprehensive diabetes education program through the Deaconess Medical Center and extended its reach through development of youth camps such as Camp STIX.

Merlin married Joyce Webb of Wenatchee on August 10, 1957 at the Salem Lutheran Church in Spokane where they have remained active. They were blessed with two sons, James (Cindy) of Spokane Valley, WA and Bruce of Glendale, AZ; and a grandson Alec of Westcliffe, Colorado. Jess is survived by his wife Joyce, and brother Gary (Suzanne) from Spokane, WA; also brothers Delano (Margaret) from Orlando, FL, and Roger (Susan)from Cape Girardeau, MO; and two sisters, Karen (Roger) Szudera, from Middleton, WI, and Joan (Howard) Anderson, from Turtle Lake, ND, and sister-in-law Patti Jespersen from Sacramento, CA. and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, and seven brothers: Allen, Donald, twins Burton and Boyd, Connie, Curtis, Ronald, and sister-in-law Carol.

Services will be held at 1:00 pm on Tuesday November 21, 2017, at Salem Lutheran Church, 1428 W. Broadway Ave, Spokane, WA. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be directed to Camp STIX, P.O. Box 8308, Spokane, WA 99203, The American Diabetes Association, or the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.