(photo)

Marilyn Elaine Jones (Jipp), 86, of Fort Calhoun passed away peacefully on September 4th with family by her side. She was born in Fort Calhoun, Nebraska, on April 11, 1939, to Max and Helen Jipp.

Fort Calhoun has always been home to Marilyn; it’s a town she dearly loved and devoted her entire life to serving the community and church through her numerous groups and organizations. Marilyn was a very proud and lifelong member of the Fort Calhoun Presbyterian Church serving a time as a deacon and devoting her Wednesday afternoons to quilting with the Presbyterian Quilters group.

She was a true servant of the community as she contributed much time and energy to the Fort Atkinson Living History Reenactments as a bobbin lace maker, Washington County Museum Guild, Women’s Club, Fort Calhoun Library and the Park Board. The swinging gate in the main park is a project that Marilyn proudly initiated. Marilyn also poured her heart into developing civic mindfulness in the young girls of Fort Calhoun through serving many years as a Camp Fire Girl Leader.

After graduating from Fort Calhoun High School in 1956, Marilyn attended Hastings College for two years, majoring in elementary education. While at Hastings, she was selected to the Bronco Cheerleading squad where she helped raise the spirit of the crowd and the football team, which included Tom Osborne. The pull of her special beau, Ronald Jones, brought her back to Fort Calhoun. On Valentine’s Day in 1960, Marilyn and Ron were married and remained steadfast to each other for 54 years until his passing in 2014.

In addition to her husband Ron “Smokey,” Marilyn was preceded in death by her brother Norman E. Jipp and parents Max and Helen Jipp.

Marilyn is survived and missed by her children Robin (Tom) Breedlove, Roxanne (Mike) Grandgenett of Omaha, and Ross (Karen) Jones of Lincoln; and brother Lee “Bud” (Betty) Jipp, of Orlando, FL. She will be forever cherished by her 11 grandchildren: Randi, Cory (Jacob), and Jared Grandgenett, Aidan (Kristen) and Nolen Breedlove, Nicholas, Samuel, Matthew, Luke, Simon and Gemma Jones.

Marilyn had a wide array of interests and talents. She was an extremely skilled and creative individual. She had a passion for quilting, sewing, knitting, making felt cardinals and mastering the art of Bobbin Lace.

She had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and learning new skills. She often spent her time reading or learning a new craft. She honed her skills in Bobbin Lace through the tutelage of her beloved friends in the Living Lace of Omaha group. Another obsession for Marilyn was her music. She absolutely loved music of all kinds, from Queen to Celtic Thunder. Music brought her much joy and tranquility during her final days. Listening to bagpipes and music from the Scottish Highlands brought her to a place of peace and comfort.

Marilyn was an independent, strong-willed woman with an adventurous spirit, taking several trips over the years with friends: a memorable trip to Scotland, a Rhine River Cruise and various outings with the Washington County Bank Heritage Club just to highlight a few.

Marilyn was the heart and strength of her family, a devoted wife and loving mother, grandmother and sister. Forgoing her dreams of working as an educator or working for the FBI, she lived a life dedicated to her family, community and church.

Thank you to the entire staff, nurses, doctors, specialists in the ICU unit at Immanuel Hospital for the exceptional and compassionate care given to mom.

Thank you, mom, for your guidance, unwavering support and for loving us unconditionally.

VISITATION: 9:00 to 10:45 a.m. Wednesday, September 10, 2025, at Fort Calhoun Presbyterian Church.

FUNERAL SERVICE: 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, September 10, 2025, immediately following the visitation, also at the church.

INTERMENT: Fort Calhoun Cemetery

IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, memorials suggested to Fort Calhoun Presbyterian Church or the Fort Calhoun Fire and Rescue. Sievers-Sprick Funeral Home Fort Calhoun, NE 68023

~~~from obituaries courtesy of the Washington County, Nebraska Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Public Library, Blair, Nebraska ~~~

FindaGrave 286821510