Norma "Jean" Gipson

Norma "Jean" Gipson, 76, died on Thursday, July 23, 2009, at the Grinnell Regional Medical Center.

A graveside service will be held 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, July 29, 2009, at Hazelwood Cemetery in Grinnell.

The family will be present at the Smith Funeral Home beginning at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday.

Memorials may be directed to PALS and sent in care of the Smith Funeral Home, PO Box 368, Grinnell, Iowa 50112.

Jean was born on March 24, 1933, the daughter of Julius and Inez Harris Witte in Scott City, Kansas. She graduated from the Nevada High School in Nevada. Jean's love for sweets grew when she and her brother would help in their father's bakery. Jean married George Gipson on Aug. 31, 1957, in Nevada. The couple lived in Grinnell and Columbia, Mo., before returning to Grinnell in 1967. While the children were young, Jean stayed at home to tend to their needs until they were all in school. Then she worked at Grinnell College as a switchboard operator and retired in 1985.

Jean was a very artistic person. She loved to do needlepoint, knit, oil paint and crochet. She enjoyed gardening, auctions, baking, antiques, playing Bingo and gambling.

She is survived by her children, Patrick Gipson of Portland, Ore., Sara Spencer of Calwood, Missouri and Julie Gipson of Grinnell and two grandchildren Hunter and Lindsey Jones of Grinnell. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, one daughter, Kara "Cindy" Gipson, her brother, James Witte and her sister, Helen LeMoine.