Jeanette ‘Jenny’ O’Hara, 88

March 15, 1929 —

Aug. 31, 2017

 

Decorah -  Jeanette “Jenny” O’Hara, age 88, of Decorah, Iowa, died on Thursday morning, Aug. 31, 2017 at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse, Wis.  

Funeral services were Sept. 5, 2017 at Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah with Rev. Stacey Nalean – Carlson officiating. Burial will be in Lutheran Cemetery.

Online condolences may be made at www.fjelstul.com.

Sylvia Jeanette was born on March 15, 1929, the daughter of Ernest and Esther (Egge) Anderson at home on her grandpa Egge’s farm. She was baptized on April 7, 1929 and confirmed on Oct. 29, 1942. She received her education in both Iowa and Minnesota schools and graduated from Decorah High School with the class of 1946. She received her LPN from the Chicago School of Nursing.

She married Selmer Larson on June 14, 1947 at First Lutheran Church. They became the parents of six children.

Jenny did numerous jobs and held various positions. Her most prized was many years in the nursing profession. She started the Howard County Homemaker Health Aid program, worked with Selmer in D.H.I.A and started a business with her son, Chuck, for 13 years. She served in the church choir, was a Sunday school teacher, served on the Church Council and in the Circle and Ladies Aid. She was a Farm Bureau Chairman and a member of the Wa Tan Ye Club.

Selmer passed away June 12, 1996. On Aug. 21, 1999, she married John O’Hara. The couple lived in Decorah.

She is survived by her husband, John; four children, Chuck Larson of Waukon, Iowa, Steve (Jean) Larson of Livermore, Iowa, Deanne (John) Stodgell of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa and Thomas (Karen) Larson of Richfield, Minn.; five stepchildren, Peggy (John) Sparrgrove, Kayleen (Jerry Gray) Kinnison, Patsy (Mark Hageman) O’Hara, Roger (Katrina McCabe) O’Hara, and Keri (Tim) Sand; 25 grandchildren, Kristen (Jim) Quayle, Michael Poole, Jeremy Larson, Jessica (Matt) Emerson, Christopher Larson, Eric (Becky) Larson, Karen (Dallas) Clark, Jeff (Shawna) Larson, John Russ Stodgell, Conrad Stodgell, Thomas Stodgell, Rachel Larson, Sarah Larson, Ryan (Brianne) Sparrgrove, Amanda Sparrgrove, Joshua Sparrgrove, Travis Sparrgrove, Mikayla (Jorge Maya) Kinnison, Colten (Meghan Kerrigan) Kinnison, Jesse (Alyssa) Halweg, Jenna (Scott Cole) Halweg, Montana Bohr, Calvin Bohr, Zack Benda, Desiree Benda, Addyson Sand, Isabella Sand and Gabrielle Sand; and 22 great-grandchildren, Mike Woodruff, Lexie Hobson, Brianne Rice, Cameron Emerson, Jacob Larson, Connor Larson, Dane Clark, Camden Clark, Hazel Clark, Eddie Larson, Charlotte Larson, Logan Larson, Kendra Larson, Gabriel Stodgell, Hendrix Stodgell, Dillion Sparrgrove, Blake Sparrgrove, Chloe Sparrgrove, Taylor Sparrgrove-Nelson, Brekin Halweg, Brinley Halweg and Grayson Benda.

Jenny was preceded in death by her parents, Ernest and Esther Anderson; her sister, Hazel Olson; two children, Dean Larson and Sandra Coats; and her first husband, Selmer.