Josephine Mildred "Josie" Soverns

1954 - 2024

Josephine "Josie" Mildred Soverns May 5, 1954 - April 15, 2024 Josephine "Josie" Mildred Soverns entered into her final rest on April 15, 2024, in the comforts of her own home in Essex, Iowa at the age of 69 years, 11 months and 10 days. Josephine was born May 5,1954, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Joe and Ann (Russell) Ready. Josie grew up in Belton, Missouri, and spent her early years visiting the East coast with her family in Massachusetts and Maine. She had many fond memories, like getting clams wrapped in newspaper from a local fish stand. She grew up Baptist, attending West Side Baptist Church in Belton. She lived in the Belton and Kansas City area while raising her four young children Joe, Jon, Mandi, and Becki in her early adult life, later moving to Iowa. Josie graduated from Belton High School in 1972 and later furthered her education at Kansas City Community College, studying Early Childhood Development. Josie worked many odd-and-end jobs throughout her life. She moved to southwest Iowa in July 1985 and began working with special needs children at Lowell School. During the summer, she gained employment at Mount Arbor Nursery in Shenandoah, which rekindled her passion for gardening that was instilled at a young age from her grandmother. She loved her gardens and especially her irises and lilies. Some jobs taught her skills that influenced the rest of her life. At Ventures she learned to decorate cakes! This led to her teaching a class full of male students how to ice a cake at Washington High School in Kansas City. Josie began her career at Garden View Care Center in Shenandoah as a CNA in 1988, moving into the Activities Department in 2009 and eventually becoming the Dietary Supervisor 10 years later. She enjoyed teaching and helping people with her unique projects and skills from the garden to the kitchen. In 2009 Josie pursued her dream of opening her own bakery, Josie's Cake and Bake Shop. She loved treating the community with all of her baked goods. She took on the library attendant position in Essex in 2011, helping her love of books grow. Josie spent her retired years enjoying sewing, quilting, and cross stitching. She always tried to do her best with what she had and loved to keep her hands busy with projects. Her hands were rarely still. Her "samplers" were her favorite things to cross stitch. Working diligently, she tried leaving behind a personal quilt for all her children and grandchildren. She also shared her love of food, baking for parties, and cooking for family gatherings. Her life was a living example of this Bible verse, Proverbs 31:14-22 "She is like the merchants' ships; She bringeth her food from afar. She riseth also while it is yet night, And giveth meat to her household, And a portion to her maidens. She considereth a field, and buyeth it: With the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. She girdeth her loins with strength, And strengtheneth her arms. She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: Her candle goeth not out by night. She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; Yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household: For all her household are clothed with scarlet. She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; Her clothing is silk and purple." Josephine was greeted in Heaven by her parents, Joseph Carroll Ready and Ann (Russell) Ready, and her brother Joseph Carroll Ready Jr. Left to cherish her memories are children; Joseph Edward Terry (Lisa Hlavac) of Shenandoah, Jonathan Russell Terry (Marsha Terry) of Klamath Falls, Oregon, Amanda Kristine Dailey of Shenandoah and Rebekah Sue Schubert of St. Joseph, Missouri,; sisters; Grace Lindsey of Grandview, Missouri, and Donna (Gene) of Raymore, Missouri; twenty-three grandchildren, nineteen great-grandchildren, and so many more family and friends. A celebration of life memorial service for Josie will be held on Saturday, May 4, 2024, at 10:30 am at Nishna Valley Funeral and Cremation Service in Shenandoah, Iowa, with Bella Deville officiating. Visitation with the family will be from 10:00 - 10:30 a.m. on Saturday morning. Memorials in Josie's name are being directed to the Essex Public Library. Professional services are under the direction of Nishna Valley Funeral and Cremation Service in Shenandoah.