Jeanne Kessel
April 19, 1947 ~ July 25, 2017
Jeanne Marie (Gast) Kessel was born April 19, 1947, three minutes older than her twin, Jackie, in Breckenridge, MN to Ernest and Mary Gast. She was raised in Rutland, ND until the eighth grade when the family made the big move up to Fargo, started eighth grade at St. Mary’s, then onto Shanley High School where she made some lifelong friends, like Carry Rooks of Fargo. She started working at Dutch Maid and worked with her longtime friend, Dorothy Barlow and while working at Dutch Maid with her sisters, Cec and Jackie, Jackie and Jeanne would meet the love of their lives--those crazy barber boys from the barber college across the street. Jeanne would find her (crazy) barbers lost zippo lighter. Larry asked her out in appreciation for returning his lighter. After a year to the day, Larry got up the guts to ask Jeanne’s father, Ernest, if he could ask for her hand in marriage. They were married on May 26, 1973. Then off to the big town of Bowman, ND where Jeanne was housewife. They decided to move where Larry went to work at the VA.
In March of 1976, they got the best St. Patty’s day gift – a bouncing big boy, but they didn’t know the sex but he had Dad’s dimple. When Jeanne saw the sex, she said, “there is your fishing partner – so leave me alone!”. Benjamin J., who always made her smile up to her last hours. She started working as housekeeping supervisor at TNI for ten years and serving as den mother for BJ’s scouts. After Larry retired in 1997 from the Fargo VA, the family started to travel. They drove to the east coast, covered 19 states, all 5 great lakes, 3 Canadian provinces in 34 days and 8400 miles including Mount Washington where Jeanne drove to the summit. The highlight of the trip for her was the Crayola factory and the Jell-O museum. They planned the next trip going to the west coast this fall but she didn’t make it.
Jeanne is survived by husband Larry (Smooch), son Ben (BJ), sister Pat (Don Buchanan) Mankato, MN, brother Bud (June) Gast, Colorado Springs, CO, sister Cec Gast, Fargo, Twin sister Jackie (Al Grenstiner) Black Hawk, SD, cousins, nieces and nephews, great and great great nieces and nephews., Larry’s sister Cookie, brothers LeRoy, Raymond, Tom, Allen.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Ernest and Mary Gast, sister Mary Leonard, Larry’s sister Phyllis, JoAnn, Shirley, Darcey, Joyce, and Patsy; Larry’s brothers Bunny, Skeeter, Chuck, and Ralph.
Thank you to the staff of Roger Maris Cancer Center, Sanford Hospital, and Rosewood Nursing Home.
Prayer Service: 7:00 P.M. Sunday, July 30, 2017 at Boulger Funeral Home & Celebration of Life Center, Fargo with visitation starting at 5:00 P.M.
Funeral Mass: 2:00 P.M. Monday, July 31, 2017 at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Fargo with visitation starting at 1:00 P.M.
Burial: Holy Cross Cemetery North, Fargo.
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To all those who loved Jeanne, please accept my condolences for your loss. I hope God gives you true comfort and peace. Remember that God loves us and wants to give us everlasting life. (John 3:16) He promises a whole new world for His people to live in where death, sorrow, pain and suffering are gone. (Revelation 21:1-4) Jesus promised to raise people from the dead to life again in John 11:24, 25 and in verses 43 thru 45 he raises a man who had been dead for 4 days back to life and gave him back to his sisters. I hope this helps some.. Contact me if you like. garrison80225@ gmail.com
Ben I am sorry for the loss of your momma. She was a wonderful person. She loved and was/Is still so proud of you. You have a great angle watching over you now. Sending love your way.
Our prayers and thought are with you and your family. So sorry to hear this Gardner and I would like to send our love and prayers
Gonna be missed, Jeanne. Sing with the angels now and protect you family from above.
Sorry for your loss. What i got to know about her. Jeanne wad a beautiful woman
Sorry for your loss, of what I got to know about Jeanne, she was a beautiful and wonderful woman.
BJ and Larry, Jeanne is now free and fluttering amongst us. Her essence is part of you. You are now able to reach her thru God and soul. Celebtation seems very hard right now but we are called by God to let her fly free. Her angel wings can take her anywhere. Be not afraid to continue reaching out to her…..may you understand that she will always be there to help if needed. With love and prayers! You cousin Dennis
Sorry for you loss Ben.
I’m so glad that I got to attend Jeanne and Larry’s 40th anniversary as I meant some very special people who became very dear friends…Jeanne will have her angel wings wrapped around Ben and Larry….My prayers are with you and all her friends….God Bless and rest in peace Jeanie….love and prayers.
Thinking of you and remembering the time we met in York, Maine. It was nice to finally meet you at our favorite breakfast place and show you the York beaches. It was a perfect day. Know that you are in our thoughts and prayers… Love, Paul and Evie
So very sorry for ur loss. She seemed like an amazing woman. She will always be in ur hearts. The video was a beautiful tribute.
I hope you are ok.AgainI sorry for your loss.
Larry and Ben , What A Beautiful Tribute to Jeanne. I am so sorry for your loss. May you reflect on the love she showed you everyday. Sending hugs your way. Keeping you in my daily prayers.
Prayer for you Ben and family
I’m so very sorry for your loss. I have no doubt that God will remember her and keep her memory safe. He will surely be glad to bring her back to life in a perfect world when suffering will be no more and we will all welcome back our loved ones that are asleep in death. (Revelation 21:4 & John 5:28, 29) May our loving Father bring your family the peace and comfort only He can provide.
Uncle Larry and BJ you are in our thoughts and prayers. Aunt Jeanne was such a beautiful person with much passion and zest for life. She will be truly missed.
With all of our love,
The Kale and Keely Lowman Family
Please accept my condolences for the loss of Jeanne a mother a sister a wife and Aunt may she she rest in peace
To Larry and family, so very sorry for your loss, no words can be found to say. Will keep all in prayers, and know she is with the Lord. God bless you
Sending prayers to family and friends
Larry,
We saw Jeanne’s obituary in the Dickinson Press and wish to express our deepest sympathies. We hope that the memories of the happy times you and Jeanne shared will help ease your sorrow.
In sympathy,
Gordon & Sharon Gerbig
Kamea and I send our love, we are so sorry to hear of your loss.
Larry, BJ & Family
We are so sorry to hear of your loss. You will be in our thoughts and prayers. Jeanne was a very kind and loving person and will be greatly missed. With our deepest Sympathies.
Larry(Bogie) & Clementine Bogner & family
I hold memories of Jeanne as being warm hearted who enjoyed her family and life to the fullest.
Ben~
I am so sorry for the loss of your mom my heart goes out to you I am really sorry that I could not make it to the funeral and visitation you will be in my thoughts and prayers tomorrow for your mom’s funeral stay strong may the memories you have of your mom give you comfort and strength during this time of sorrow cherish the memories fly high beautiful angel fly high she will always be watching over you take care bro!!!!!!!
Larry and BJ
I am so sorry for your loss she was a amazing and one of my favorites friends .I am sorry I can’t b there as we are in Tennessee on vacation I will be in touch with you when I get home my prayers are with you I will miss her Nyla
We are very sorry for your loss Larry and BJ.
“Although it is difficult today to see
Beyond the sorrow may looking back in memory
Help comfort you tomorrow .”
Dear dear Larry, I am so sorry for your loss of Jeanne. She was a beautiful person to know and so are you. I’m with you in spirit today, hoping you and BJ have peace and remember the joyful moments (like running into each other at 5 am in KMart on Black Friday ). She was –is– an angel.
Sorry to learn of Jeanne’s passing. “The Anderson Kids” from Rutland have many good memories of visiting at the Gast family’s farm home east of Rutland, back in “the good old days.” Jeanne & Jackie are the same age as my younger sister, Patty, and they were friends through 7 years of Grade School, in addition to being the first class to have the opportunity to attend Kindergarten in the Rutland School System. We will miss Jeanne’s friendly smile and cheerful personality at the next Rutland School Reunion – she rarely missed one. Jeanne never forgot her childhood friends from Rutland, and her old friends here will always cherish her memory.
ROCKY AND BJ I AM SO SORRY. SHE WAS A VERY BEAUTIFUL WOMAN AND I AM SO GLAD I GOT TO KNOW HER. SHE WAS AN AMAZING WOMAN AND I AM THANKFUL FOR HER FRIENDSHIP.
Jeanne was a loving lady who loved life and embraced it. She devoted her life to make her home a piece of Heaven on earth and a safe refuge from the worldly things. An avid gardener, she grew price winning roses and tended to them with love, time, and great care.
While I am not a family member, I was blessed to have known Jeanne, Larry and BJ through cards, phone calls and family newsletters. Her newsletters made me feel like I was included as a family member. And I have saved every one of those letters I got through the years, along with Easter pictures and Christmas pictures.
If the world had more people like Jeanne, there would be far less spitefulness and so much more love !!