Mary Werth

Mary (Jean) Virjean Werth, 90, of Atlantic, Iowa, passed away Tuesday, May 11, 2010, at the Salem Lutheran Home in Elk Horn, Iowa.

Jean was born October 22, 1919, in Casey, Iowa, the daughter of Edward and Estella (Betts) Cameron. She grew up and attended rural schools in the Casey and Menlo areas. She attended Menlo High School and graduated with the class of 1937.

Virjean joined the Methodist Church in Menlo when she was young girl.


She married Stanley Werth November 10, 1937, at Adair, Iowa. They farmed a few years around Adair and Menlo, then moved to Greenfield, Iowa. She was employed as a bookkeeper at Orient Sale Barn; bookkeeper at Creston Sale Barn; bookkeeper at Diagonal Sale Barn; Vet Assistant at Creston Veterinary Clinic and Sargent Livestock Auction; and in 1965 when they moved to Atlantic she was a sales clerk at Bower's Bakery until she retired.

Jean was a member of the United Methodist Church and the Methodist Women in Atlantic, Iowa. She also belonged to the Hospital Auxiliary in Atlantic.

Surviving Jean are her daughter, Pamela Essington and her husband Otto of Kimballton, Iowa; her son, Richard and his wife Susan of Desoto, Texas; a sister, Virlayne Terry of Ames, Iowa; a sister-in-law, Velma Cameron; 11 grandchildren, Doug Smith, Gail Page and her husband Bobby, Joanna Van Geison and her husband Scott, Brenda Essington, Mike Essington, Ryan Werth and his wife Niki, Jason Werth and his wife Casey, Megan Werth and Lathan Hites, Abby Trullinger, James Essington and his wife Theresa, Lori Grittner and her husband Mike, Lisa Desmarais and her husband Joe, and Jody Wiser and her husband Dustan; 15 great-grandchildren and 4 great-great grandchildren.

Preceding Jean in death were her husband, Stanley Werth; her daughter, Karen Kay Werth; son, Larry Werth; grandson, Cameron Werth; parents, Ed and Stella Cameron; and brothers, Eddie Cameron and Wayne Cameron.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, May 14, 2010, at Hockenberry Family Care Funeral Home in Atlantic, Iowa. Visitation with family will be from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m., Thursday, May 13 at Hockenberry's in Atlantic. Burial will take place in Sunnyhill Cemetery in Adair, Iowa.

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