Jeannie Brodersen

Jeannie Delores Brodersen, former Cass County Recorder, passed away Tuesday, September 4, 2007, at the age of 76 at the Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska, where she had been a patient for two days.

She was born on December 10, 1930, in Anita, Iowa, the daughter of Bernard F. and Madeline A. (Holleran) Brodersen.

Jeannie was a native of Cass County and a graduate of the Anita High School. She was elected to the office of Recorder to fill out a term in 1968 where she had been the deputy recorder for a number of years. She served for 42 plus years in the Recorder's office.

Jeannie completed the first local government in-service training program developed by the University of Iowa and presented it to Atlantic. She had further course work in diverse subjects from Iowa State University and Iowa Western Community College.

The microfilming of all the records from 1853 to date were started while she was in office. Those, along with various other records, were placed in the main computer. She really enjoyed her work at the court house handling the land records, issuing the various types of licenses, reading military records and other records.

Jeannie was active in county and Atlantic affairs. She was a member of the Cass County Republican Central Committee, Cass County Republican Women (never missing an election) both the Atlantic and Cass County Certified Local Government Committee for Historic Preservation, Cass County Museum, Cass County Genealogical Society, and the Fact Foundation Committee, and helping with Bingo for four years. She also worked at the Hitchcock House.

Jeannie had a longtime interest in county history and enjoyed assisting people searching for their family roots through genealogy.

Her office sponsored the American Breed Horse Classes shown at the Cass County Fair for many years.

She was a member of the Anita United Methodist Church. She was a longtime donor to the American Red Cross Program, donating over 20 gallons of blood.

Jeannie was a very generous person, helping many people in the community. Some of these gifts included donating computers for both the Cumberland Senior Citizen Center and also for the Hitchcock House. She helped pay taxes for several people and donated kaleidoscopes for each of the county libraries. These were made by Peggy Tye. She was one of the instigator's of getting the Gringery Log Cabin placed in the Atlantic City Park. Jeannie was on the committee for Iowa's 150th Birthday Celebration. She donated money for the YMCA, Anita Community Center and the Animal Shelter.

Some of her hobbies were reading, astrology, music (especially Blue Grass), going to church suppers, bus trips, history, researching old records, flowers, bird watching and was an avid Nebraska football fan.

She donated her time to the Southlawn Cemetery for many years.

Jeannie was a pet lover and loved her Scottie dog, Chadwick, which was her companion for 18 years.

She was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Bernard Frank Brodersen.

Jeannie is survived by her special cousin, Bill Holloran and his wife, Nancy of Bellevue, Nebraska; several other relatives living in the Denison area; good friends, Deb Herbert, Bernice Ihrke both of Atlantic, Iowa, Reverend Dean Porter and his wife, Mary and Susie Q of Guthrie Center, Iowa, Marge Williams and her husband, Norm of Lake City, Florida, Eleanor Joyce Dunbar of Hawaii and Ed Fry and Family of New York.

Memorial services will be 2:00 p.m., Thursday, September 13, 2007, at Hockenberry Family Care in Atlantic with the Reverend Dean Porter officiating.
The family invites you to join them for refreshments and fellowship immediately following the services in the Hockenberry Family Care Community Room.

Hockenberry Family Care in Atlantic is in charge of the arrangements.