Sarah Jespersen

Sarah Jane (Johnson) Jespersen was born January 26, 1957, in Atlantic, Iowa, and lost her battle with cancer on Friday, August 12, 2011. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her.

Sarah was the third of five children born to Marion and Margery Johnson of Lewis, Iowa, spending her early years at the Johnson Dairy Farm, south of Atlantic.

After graduating from Atlantic High School in 1975, she attended Northwest Missouri State University, majoring in music and was part of the University Band.

Sarah was married to Patrick Allen from 1978 to 1984, during which time they gave birth to their daughter, Lindsay. She met Mark Jespersen and moved to Orlando, Florida, where they married on November 23, 1988. They lived there for several years, then in 1992, they moved back to live in the Lewis, Iowa, house where she grew up. Their daughter, Hannah, was born in 1996. The family moved to Atlantic in 2003. Sarah and Mark were married for almost 23 years until the time of her death.

Her most beautiful work was her gift as a musician and pianist. Her musical ability was evident as she shared this talent at her church and with her family. Sarah's life was guided by a very deep faith. She had a strong love for the United Church of Christ of Atlantic. Sarah was a woman with a deep compassion for the environment; she had a green thumb and loved flower gardening. She also loved reading and traveling, especially to the mountains of Colorado and Oregon. Of all the things she did best, her love for her family was foremost.

Sarah was employed by DeLong Sportswear for many years until they closed and was most recently employed by SWITA in Atlantic.

Sarah is survived by her husband, Mark of Atlantic, Iowa; daughters, Lindsay (Geoffrey) Allen Landgraf of Bend, Oregon, Hannah Jespersen of Atlantic, Iowa and Angela (Doug) Stave of Omaha, Nebraska; grandchildren, Jake, Justin and Lauren Stave of Omaha, Nebraska; mother, Margery Johnson of Atlantic, Iowa; siblings, Susan (Dana) Hockensmith of St. Louis, Missouri, Dwight (Julie Livingston) of Omaha, Nebraska, Timothy Johnson of Atlantic, Iowa, and Nancy (Alan) Reimer of Atlantic, Iowa; mother and father-in-law, Richard and Mary Ann Jespersen of Atlantic, Iowa; and many wonderful nieces, nephews and great-nephews.

She was preceded in death by her father, Marion D. Johnson and a nephew, Philip Hockensmith.

Visitation is at Hockenberry Funeral Home in Atlantic, from 5:00-7:00 PM on Monday, August 15, 2011.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM, Tuesday, August 16, 2011, at the United Church of Christ in Atlantic.

Burial will be at the Atlantic Cemetery, with a lunch at UCC following.