Thelma Jeanne Petersen De Jong was born April 3, 1931, to Ralph Santos and Thelma Lucille (Reeves) Petersen, in Guthrie County, Iowa.

Jeanne attended Iowa Lutheran School of Nursing and Parsons College. She worked as a nurse's aid at Pella Regional Medical Center for over 32 years. Some of her other interests were prison ministry and sponsoring Vietnamese children.

On September 4, 1953, she was united in marriage to Ernest Lee De Jong, in the Methodist Church in Panora, Iowa. To this union they were blessed with five children: Deborah, Teresa, Mike, Tom, and Scott.

Those left to cherish her memory are her husband Ernie, her children:

Deborah De Jong, Teresa and Darwin Van Wyk, Mike and Melody De Jong, Tom and Sherri De Jong, and Scott and Lisa De Jong; grandchildren: Brock and Elissa Maxwell, Bradley and Jessica Van Wyk, Korey and Jennifer Van Wyk, Krystal and Jordan Gowing, Kyle and Alli Van Wyk, Kristin and Jimmy Richtsmeier, Michael and Kristin De Jong, Ryan De Jong, Lindsey De Jong, Tyler and Michelle De Jong, and Collin De Jong; and great grandchildren: Silas James Gowing, Mara Evangeline Gowing, Ezra Lee Gowing, Elliana Rose Van Wyk, Cambria Jean Van Wyk, Charley De Jong, Preston De Jong, Avery De Jong, and Lennon De Jong. She is also survived by her sister Marjorie Petersen Aldinger.

Jeanne was preceded in death by her parents Ralph and Thelma Petersen.

New Life Prison Ministry
408 Maple St, Pella IA 50219
Web: https://newlife-prison.org/donate