Jeanette Stevens

Jeanette Stevens, age 93, a long-time Carroll resident, passed away at Hawkeye Care Center in Carroll on Monday, February 20, 2017. Funeral service will be held at 1:00 P.M. on Saturday, February 25, 2017 at the First United Methodist Church in Carroll with Rev. Dennis Bailey officiating. Pianist for the service will be Marcy Andersen and soloist will be Nicole Smith. Visitation will be held at the church for one hour prior to the service. Burial will be in the Carroll City Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be made to St. Anthony Hospice. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Carroll and online condolences may be left for the family at www.dahnandwoodhouse.com Jeanette was born on April 19, 1923 at her parents’ farm home outside of Prescott, Iowa. She finished out her high school years by being accepted into the “normal school program” where she obtained her certification for teaching. After graduation and gaining some teaching experience, Mrs. Stevens met the love of her life, Merle Stevens, whom she married on August 26, 1944. Her husband managed grocery stores in Corning, New Sharon, Eldora, Clarinda, Perry, and Carroll. In 1970, the couple took on a new adventure; opening Stevens Insurance Company in Carroll. Later, the couple obtained with a business partner, Paul Ziska, who still owns and operates Stevens and Ziska Insurance Company, (now Ziska Insurance). Jeanette was Merle’s loyal and always supportive side-kick and the couple was a team in every sense of the word. During retirement years, Jeanette and her husband spent winters in Mission, Texas. The remainder of each year was spent in their beloved Carroll. Mrs. Stevens would want to be remembered as a person who spent her life reaching out to help and support others in some small way. Her infectious smile, loving hugs, and tender heart will be remembered forever and ever. Jeanette was an active member of the First United Methodist Church in Carroll. She held several offices over the years in her church and was most proud of a coveted pin she received for service. She was dedicated to her “church family” and could be heard singing her favorite hymns in full voice week after week when she was able to attend services. Over her married years, Mrs. Stevens enjoyed playing bridge with several of her friends. She loved flowers, birds, reading, ceramics, and “digging in the dirt”. Jeanette’s greatest joys were her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. During the last few years, the Stevens’, still being a team, moved to Hawkeye Care Center in Carroll in March of 2013. Jeanette Stevens is survived by the following: Son, Bruce and wife Donna (Tryon) of West Des Moines and winters from Mesa, Arizona, and daughter Dee Ludwig and husband, Jim, of Carroll, Iowa; six grandchildren: Julie (Brad) Kaufman of Waukee, Chad (Emily) Stevens of Norwalk, Sara (John) Lohrmann of Mundelein, Illinois, Kurt (Kalen) Ludwig of Waukee, Nicole (Ben) Smith of Gilbert, Kevin Ludwig of Johnston; her sister, Shirley Finkle, of Marshalltown, and her nephew, Brian (Babs) Finkle, of Fort Collins, Colorado. Jeanette Stevens was preceded in death by her soul mate/husband Merle on July 26, 2014, her parents, Oral and Blanche Maxedon, mother and father in-law, Claude & Lula Stevens, infant grandson, Scott Allen Stevens, and brother-in-law, Bob Finkle.