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Jessie Wievel Obituary
Wievel, Jessie T.
Jessie Thomas Wievel, 94, of Stevens Point, passed away December 26, 2016 at the Portage County Health Care Center with members of her loving family at her side.
A memorial service for her will be held Tuesday, May 23 at St. Paul's United Methodist Church in Stevens Point. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. with the service starting at 11. The Rev. Howard Hintzman will officiate. A private burial is to follow in Linwood Union Cemetery.
Jessie was born February 18, 1922 to the late Lee and Olive (Baker) Thomas in Pineville, Louisiana. She attended local grade schools and graduated from Winnfield High School in Winnfield, Louisiana at the age of 16.
She then went on to receive a Bachelor of Science degree from Louisiana Tech in Ruston and a Master's in Child Development from Iowa State University in Ames.
While at Iowa State she taught a number of courses both before and after graduation.
Jessie wed Bernard Fidelis (Friday) Wievel of Platteville, Wisconsin on Sept. 16, 1944 in Ames and they remained happily married for 66 years. Bernard preceded her in death in 2010.
In 1947 the couple moved to Stevens Point after Bernard was hired by Fred Schmeeckle to teach conservation at the local college, thereby becoming the second member of what is now UW-Stevens Point's acclaimed Natural Resources department.
Jessie also taught briefly in Stevens Point before leaving the profession to begin a family, to which she remained deeply devoted for the rest of her life.
A congenial, gracious woman with a radiant smile, Jessie never lost the sense of Southern hospitality she acquired growing up in her beloved Louisiana.
Jessie enjoyed reading, the arts, traveling, sewing, walking, antiquing and watching sports. She especially liked Milwaukee Brewers baseball and UWSP Pointers and Wisconsin Badgers basketball.
She appreciated all types of music and often listened to Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline and Lawrence Welk to name just a few. Songs of the Christmas season by, among others, Mahalia Jackson and Linda Ronstadt, were great joys to her.
Her major dislike was Wisconsin's frigid winters.
A faithful member of the St. Paul's United Methodist congregation, Jessie was also active in the Association of University Women, P. E. O. Chapter 1 (from 1966 until her passing), the Charles M. White Library Board, the Wisconsin Valley Library Board and the Art League. Other affiliations included the Fortnightly Study Club and the Portage County Historical Society, of which she was a lifetime member.
Additionally, she volunteered and drove for Meals on Wheels in the Stevens Point area for over 30 years.
An ironic twist in Jessie's family background is that she was a distant relative of Abraham Lincoln on her mother's side while her paternal grandfather fought for the Confederacy and was wounded during the historic Battle of Shiloh.
In her various roles as wife, mother, grandmother, friend and neighbor she touched and enriched many lives during her nearly 95 years on Earth and she will be dearly missed.
Jessie is survived by sons Randall, Thomas Jeb (Karla) and Herbert, all of Stevens Point, and daughter Beth (Bruce) Slapper of Gilbert, Arizona.
She is also survived by five grandchildren: Garret and Landry Slapper of Tempe, Arizona; Dr. Tess (Ryan) Williams of Thermopolis, Wyoming; Emily Wievel of Bend, Oregon; and Jacob Wievel of New Zealand.
Her sole great-grandchild is Noah Fidelis Williams of Thermopolis.
"Miss Jessie", as she was affectionately known by her Southern friends, also leaves four step-great-grandchildren in Thermopolis plus numerous nephews, nieces and other relatives scattered around the country. This includes precious sister-in-law Pat Thomas of Alexandria, Louisiana whose uplifting phone calls never failed to boost her spirits.
Jessie's parents, husband and three brothers (Lee, Herbert and Tris) preceded her in death.
The Wievel family would like to thank all of the wonderful caregivers at the Portage County Home and St. Joseph's Hospital in Marshfield who were so important and inspirational to Jessie while she was a resident.
Boston Funeral Home is assisting with arrangements and condolences may be made online at www.bostonfuneralhome.net.
Jessie Thomas Wievel, 94, of Stevens Point, passed away December 26, 2016 at the Portage County Health Care Center with members of her loving family at her side.
A memorial service for her will be held Tuesday, May 23 at St. Paul's United Methodist Church in Stevens Point. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. with the service starting at 11. The Rev. Howard Hintzman will officiate. A private burial is to follow in Linwood Union Cemetery.
Jessie was born February 18, 1922 to the late Lee and Olive (Baker) Thomas in Pineville, Louisiana. She attended local grade schools and graduated from Winnfield High School in Winnfield, Louisiana at the age of 16.
She then went on to receive a Bachelor of Science degree from Louisiana Tech in Ruston and a Master's in Child Development from Iowa State University in Ames.
While at Iowa State she taught a number of courses both before and after graduation.
Jessie wed Bernard Fidelis (Friday) Wievel of Platteville, Wisconsin on Sept. 16, 1944 in Ames and they remained happily married for 66 years. Bernard preceded her in death in 2010.
In 1947 the couple moved to Stevens Point after Bernard was hired by Fred Schmeeckle to teach conservation at the local college, thereby becoming the second member of what is now UW-Stevens Point's acclaimed Natural Resources department.
Jessie also taught briefly in Stevens Point before leaving the profession to begin a family, to which she remained deeply devoted for the rest of her life.
A congenial, gracious woman with a radiant smile, Jessie never lost the sense of Southern hospitality she acquired growing up in her beloved Louisiana.
Jessie enjoyed reading, the arts, traveling, sewing, walking, antiquing and watching sports. She especially liked Milwaukee Brewers baseball and UWSP Pointers and Wisconsin Badgers basketball.
She appreciated all types of music and often listened to Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline and Lawrence Welk to name just a few. Songs of the Christmas season by, among others, Mahalia Jackson and Linda Ronstadt, were great joys to her.
Her major dislike was Wisconsin's frigid winters.
A faithful member of the St. Paul's United Methodist congregation, Jessie was also active in the Association of University Women, P. E. O. Chapter 1 (from 1966 until her passing), the Charles M. White Library Board, the Wisconsin Valley Library Board and the Art League. Other affiliations included the Fortnightly Study Club and the Portage County Historical Society, of which she was a lifetime member.
Additionally, she volunteered and drove for Meals on Wheels in the Stevens Point area for over 30 years.
An ironic twist in Jessie's family background is that she was a distant relative of Abraham Lincoln on her mother's side while her paternal grandfather fought for the Confederacy and was wounded during the historic Battle of Shiloh.
In her various roles as wife, mother, grandmother, friend and neighbor she touched and enriched many lives during her nearly 95 years on Earth and she will be dearly missed.
Jessie is survived by sons Randall, Thomas Jeb (Karla) and Herbert, all of Stevens Point, and daughter Beth (Bruce) Slapper of Gilbert, Arizona.
She is also survived by five grandchildren: Garret and Landry Slapper of Tempe, Arizona; Dr. Tess (Ryan) Williams of Thermopolis, Wyoming; Emily Wievel of Bend, Oregon; and Jacob Wievel of New Zealand.
Her sole great-grandchild is Noah Fidelis Williams of Thermopolis.
"Miss Jessie", as she was affectionately known by her Southern friends, also leaves four step-great-grandchildren in Thermopolis plus numerous nephews, nieces and other relatives scattered around the country. This includes precious sister-in-law Pat Thomas of Alexandria, Louisiana whose uplifting phone calls never failed to boost her spirits.
Jessie's parents, husband and three brothers (Lee, Herbert and Tris) preceded her in death.
The Wievel family would like to thank all of the wonderful caregivers at the Portage County Home and St. Joseph's Hospital in Marshfield who were so important and inspirational to Jessie while she was a resident.
Boston Funeral Home is assisting with arrangements and condolences may be made online at www.bostonfuneralhome.net.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Published by Stevens Point Journal on May 18, 2017.
Memories and Condolences
for Jessie Wievel
Sponsored by Boston Funeral Home & Crematory.
1 Entry
Wayne Clark
May 25, 2017
Randy, I was always impressed by your mother and father as I was growing up in Point. They were kind and gentle people, and excellent role models to many of us.
Wayne Clark
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