Jodeane Reese

St. Marys--Jodeane (Irwin) Reese, 92, formally of St. Marys, passed away December 11, 2020, at Kelly House in Meriden.  She was born April 27, 1928, in Clay Center, Kansas, the only child of Lester and Ruth (Ingalsbe) Irwin.  She grew up in Onaga, Kansas, where she graduated from Onaga High School in 1946.    After graduation, she moved to Topeka, where she attended Clarks Business School and worked for Santa Fe as a keypunch operator.   She remained friends with classmates and roommates all her life.

On February 17, 1952, she married Dudley Reese in Onaga, Kansas, and they settled in St. Marys, where they owned and operated Reese’s Market with his parents.   After Dud’s untimely passing in 1969, the store was closed, and she began a new career with the City of St. Marys where she was the city clerk for almost 25 years.

She was a member for over 50 years of the United Methodist Church in St. Marys and the Order of the  Eastern Star. She loved to travel, shop, play golf, bridge, and scrabble and rarely missed any sporting event of her kids or grandkids.

She was preceded in death by her parents and husband.  She is survived by her son Rick (Mary Ellen) Reese, St. Marys and their family Anna (Don) Baker,  Rebecca Haggerty,  Mark ( Kate)  Reese,  and Evan Reese,  her daughter Carla ( Ron) Perry, Lawrence and their family  Sarah (Dale) Nordlund,  her son Ron (LeAnna) Reese, Andover, and their family  Kasey (Keith) Shepherd and  Gina (Curtis) Golba.   She is also survived by those to whom she was lovingly known as Grandma the Great: Truman, Andrew, Brooklyn, Calvin and Lincoln Baker, Aidan and Connor Haggerty,  Riley and Hudson Reese,  Kody and Kameron Shepherd, and John Golba.

Funeral services will be private.  Jodeane will lie in state, and the family will receive friends on Tuesday, December 15, 2020, from 5:00 until 7:00 P.M. at Piper Funeral Home in St. Marys.  Masks and social distancing are required.

Memorial contributions may be made to the St. Marys United Methodist Church or the Onaga High School Alumni Association and sent in care of Piper Funeral Home, 714 Maple Street, St. Marys, Kansas 66536.  To leave online condolences please go to www.piperfunrelhome.com.