Rhoda Carolyn Jorgensen

Rhoda Carolyn Jorgensen, the daughter of Martin G. and Hannah (Petersen) Johansen, was born August 12, 1928, at her parents’ home near Latimer, Iowa, and died June 15, 2017, at the Audubon County Memorial Hospital in Audubon, Iowa, at the age of 88 years, 10 months and 3 days.
Rhoda was baptized and confirmed at the Nazareth Lutheran Church in Coulter, Iowa. She attended Franklin Consolidated Schools in Latimer, Iowa, graduating with the high school class of 1946. Rhoda studied at Dana College in Blair, Nebraska, and received her teaching certificate in 1948. She then taught elementary school in Latimer, Coon Rapids and Harlan, Iowa.
On September 18, 1954, she was united in marriage to John (Jack) William Jorgensen, Jr. at the Nazareth Lutheran Church in Coulter. They were blessed with four daughters – Sheri, Holly, Jan and Carol. They lived in Harlan, Iowa, for a short time and then moved to Jack’s family farm near Jacksonville, Iowa. In 1958 they moved to a farm in Melville Township in Audubon County, growing row crops and raising livestock. Rhoda not only helped raise the “girls,” but also helped Jack operate the farm, including cooking countless meals for the farmers. They retired in 1997 and moved to their new home in Audubon, enjoying many happy years and always welcoming visits from family and friends. Jack died in August of 2012, and Rhoda lived at home until she moved to the Exira Care Center in January of 2015.
Rhoda was an active member of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Audubon and loved singing in the choir, serving coffee and teaching Sunday school and vacation Bible school. She also treasured time with her Circle friends, her weekly Bible study group and the church quilters. She was active in the Friendship Home Auxiliary, the Audubon County Hospital Auxiliary, A.F.S. and the Band Boosters. She loved music and playing the piano, as well as gardening and crossword puzzles. She was a great cook and loved to bake, with her dinner rolls, cherry strips and other delicious treats always in demand. But most of all she loved being with her “girls,” her grandchildren and her great-grandchildren.
Preceding her in death were her husband John (Jack) W. Jorgensen; her son-in-law Stanley Kjergaard; her nephew David Jorgensen; her siblings Beulah Rodecap, Dale Johansen, Wendell Johansen and Glenn Johansen, her sister-in-law Darlene Johansen; and her brothers-in-law Joe Rodecap and Jerome Kelley.
Survivors include her daughters Sheri and husband Keith Bandle of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Holly Kjergaard and friend Steve Irlmeier both of Audubon, Jan and husband Mike Lockhorst of Johnston, Iowa, and Carol and husband Don Foster of Urbandale, Iowa; her grandchildren Kyle and wife Megan Kjergaard of Audubon, Beth and husband Doug Wurth of Johnston, Cara and husband Aaron Heffernan of Urbandale, Lauren Kjergaard of Audubon, John Tayloe of Johnston and Jenna Tayloe of Johnston; her great grandchildren Aiden, Kye and Kamryn Kjergaard all of Audubon, Jackson and Andreas Wurth both of Johnston; her sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law Lois Johansen of Hampton, Iowa, Maxine Johansen of Hampton, Sandy Johansen of Latimer, Phil and wife Jane Jorgensen of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Mary Kelley of Bolivar, Missouri, Rosie and husband Skip Dale of Audubon and Dan and wife Elaine Jorgensen of Audubon; nieces, nephews other relatives and many friends.
The family will meet with friends Sunday afternoon, June 18, 2017, at 4:00 p.m. at the Kessler Funeral Home in Audubon. Funeral services will be conducted by Pastor Doug Opp at 10:30 a.m. on Monday morning, June 19, 2017, at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Audubon, with interment at the Maple Grove Cemetery. The casket bearers will be Kyle Kjergaard, John Tayloe, Mark Johansen, Doug Wurth, Aaron Heffernan, Landon Boock and Josh Groven.