Great Grandma Cipra

Great Grandma Cipra passed away, and we attended her funeral today.  She was a wonderful, strong woman who was always there for me.  She attended every single one of my basketball games growing up (even a tournament in Texas), and nearly every volleyball game, softball game, music concert, etc, etc.  I never thought about it before, but she instilled a value in our family to attend and take interest in each other's activities.  That is one reason Todd and I only want 2 kids, so we can attend every single one of their activites growing up.  Even if the girls have events on the same night, we can divide up so they will have at least one parent present.

I'm so glad Great Grandma got to meet Reese and Emmy on multiple occasions.  These are two of my favorite pictures.  Reese and Great Grandma at Thanksgiving 2010...

Emmy and Great Grandma when Emmy was just 3 weeks old...

Here is Great Grandma's beautifully-written obituary.  She will be missed.

Jean Maxine Cipra, age 93, of Austin died peacefully on Saturday evening, November 3, 2012, at the Lutheran Retirement Home in Northwood, Iowa. Jean was born on October 14, 1919, on a farm near Lyle, Minnesota the daughter of Elmer and Nora (Enerson) Nelson. She was baptized and confirmed at Six Mile Grove Lutheran Church near Lyle. She attended school in Lyle and graduated from Lyle High School in 1937. After graduating from beauty school in Mankato, Jean worked at shops in Austin and Janesville, Minnesota. After her marriage, she opened Jean’s Beauty Shop in Hayward, Minnesota. Jean’s favorite dancing partner was Lloyd “Shorty” Cipra, who became her husband on November 27, 1943 at the Little Cedar Lutheran Church in Adams, Minnesota. They farmed together in rural Glenville for forty years.

The Cipra’s had two sons, Douglas and Clark. Jean and Shorty never missed an athletic event when the boys were involved. Amazingly, Jean would work in the field, prepare a delicious home cooked meal and be all dressed up for every ballgame. Jean loved to watch sports on TV, particularly college basketball and the Minnesota Twins. One of Jean’s passions was flower gardening. Her yard was always in beautiful bloom. Jean was a longtime member of the First Lutheran Church in Glenville and was active in Sunday school, women’s group and circle. After Lloyd’s death in 1983, Jean moved to Austin where she lived until moving to the Lutheran Retirement Home in 2010. “Her family is grateful for the wonderful care she received there.”

Jean is survived by her son Clark (Val) Cipra of Austin; daughter-in-law, Kristine Cipra of Brandon; sister, Ruth Steigerwald of Austin; six grandchildren, Kyle (Suzanne) Cipra, Tena Burnes, Brian Cipra, Suzanne (Todd) Haag, Tracy Masteller and Dan (Sandy) Haviland; fourteen great-grandchildren; many nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends. Jean was preceded in death by her parents, Elmer and Nora Nelson; in-laws, James and Tena Cipra; husband, Lloyd; son, Douglas in January of 2012; sister, Daphine and brothers-in-law, Rudy Kraft and Lester Jorstad; brother-in-law, Floyd Cipra and wife, Agnes; sisters-in-law, Wava Verdoorn and husband, Bill and Joy Paulson and husband, Rolf.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, November 7, 2012, at the First Lutheran Church of Glenville with Pastor Jim Rushton, officiating. Interment will follow the service at Hillcrest Cemetery, Albert Lea. Visitation will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, November 6th at the Worlein Funeral Home in Austin and for one hour prior to the service at the church on Wednesday. Memorials are preferred to First Lutheran Church of Glenville or Lutheran Retirement Home of Northwood.