Wilma Jeanne Black Minard

Wilma Jeanne Black Minard, daughter of Garry Dewitt and Clara Coles Black passed away on October 2, 2023, at the age of 95. Jeanne was born December 8, 1927, in Warren County, St. Charles, Iowa. She grew up in the St. Charles area never having lived more than seven miles from the place where she was born on her grandparents, James Riley and Sarah Ann Souders Black’s farm.

She was a member of the Disciples Church of Christ in St. Charles transferring her membership to Broadhorn Church after marriage and later to the Congregational Christian United Church of Christ in Truro.

She graduated from the St. Charles Consolidated School in 1945. While she was in school, she participated in music and basketball. She was her class valedictorian. During her senior year in high school, she worked at Strains Grocery Store in St. Charles, later at Equitable Life Insurance in Des Moines.

She was united in marriage to John Edward Minard on July 7, 1946. No children were born to this union, only the many children whose life they touched in their combined 44 years of service to the Truro Consolidated and Interstate 35 Community School District. She was employed by the school in food service for 30 years.

Jeanne was a representative of her church for many years to the Madison Warren Ecumenical Association and a member of the Jolly Fu Club of the Congregational Church.

After the death of her husband in 1990 she filled her life with the companionship of her close friend Helen and her “adopted” family - the Jerry Clarke family. Jerry and Charlotte purchased the Anderson memorial family farm in 1999. In 2013 Jeanne moved from the family farm to St. Charles in an area where her grandparents, Riley and Sarah, had resided on the acreage they owned for many years.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 44 years, his parents Clyde and Mabel Minard, her parents, her sister and brother-in-law David Englne and Belva Elaine Streyffeler and special friend Helen Elben.She is survived by her “adopted” family Jerry and Charlotte and their family, Rick and Charity Clarke, Colton (Hailey) Clarke, Chanler Clarke (Haley), Jessica (Hunter) Stufflebean, Sidney Nelson (Koy), Mark and Crystal, Karnatz, Rylie Karnatz (Skyler), and Halie Karnatz, and her dear friend Mary Austin. Along with many other family and friends. She will be missed by her classmates “Lunch Bunch.”

Services will be held at Truro Congregational United Church of Christ, Tuesday, October 10, 2023, at 11:00 am, with Rev. Hugh Stone officiating. The family will greet friends from 10:00 am to 11:00 am prior to the service at the church. Interment will be in the St. Charles Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be directed to Truro UCC.Online condolences may be directed to the family at www.kalefuneralhome.com