Jean A. Fish

She was born on January 14, 1931, in Mt. Ayr, Iowa, to Paul and Audrey (Sefrit) Seaton. The Seaton family, including older sister, Joan, moved to Perry, Iowa in 1934, where they ran a successful grocery business. Jean graduated from Perry High School in 1949, attended Grinnell College for two years, and married her husband, Richard Fish, in 1951.

Jean was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and outstanding homemaker. She and Richard moved to Ankeny in 1966 and raised their family there. Jean was always available to spend quality, nurturing time with her grandchildren as they came along, to pick them up from school and attend their sporting events. Frequent family gatherings at her home brought her great joy.

Jean loved to sing and had a beautiful soprano voice. From her teen years until well into her seventies, Jean performed hundreds of solos with church choirs and for special events. She also served as the preschool Sunday school teacher at Ankeny Baptist Church for 16 years, where she remained an active and beloved member until her death.

Gardening was another of Jean’s favorite hobbies. She loved her flowers and instilled a love of gardening in many of her children and grandchildren. She was an officer and member of the Ankeny Garden Club until it disbanded about ten years ago. Jean and Richard enjoyed visiting the Amana Colonies and frequently celebrated their wedding anniversary there.

Jean is survived by her husband of 62 years, Richard Fish; her three children, David (Julia) Fish of Windsor Heights; Stephanie (Mark) Trusty of Ankeny; and Daniel (Jessica) Fish of Ankeny; her eight grandchildren: Adam (Brooke) Fish, Joshua (Maria) Trusty, Amy (Tim) Sluiter, Jennifer (Ben) Morris, Amanda Trusty, Andrew Fish, Anna Fish, and Mary Margaret Fish; and great-grandchildren: Jude and Liam Fish, Nilaya and Jack Sluiter, Everett and Vera Trusty, and Baby Morris due in July, as well as her nieces and nephews and their families.

Jean is preceded in death by her infant son, Stephen Linn Fish; parents, Paul and Audrey Seaton; her sister, Joan Atwood, and her brother-in-law, Ronald Atwood.

Visitation will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday June 19, 2013 at the Ankeny Funeral Home, 1510 W. First Street, Ankeny, Iowa.

Services are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on Thursday June 20, 2013 at Ankeny Baptist Church, 2842 SW 3rd St., Ankeny, Iowa. Pastor David Strope officiating.

Arrangements by Ankeny Funeral Home. Burial will be at 2 p.m. on Thursday at Violet Hill Cemetery, Perry, Iowa.

Memorial Contributions may be directed to Ankeny Baptist Church and Blank Children’s Hospital.