Memorial
Melba M. Jasiewicz, 92, died peacefully October 30, 2017 at St. Luke’s Living Center West in Cedar Rapids.
On December 14, 1924, Melba was born at home in rural Delaware County, the youngest daughter of Olin and Grace (French) Minehart. She grew up in Buck Creek, Iowa, where her father was the janitor of the school, and a second father to most of the students. She helped her sister and parents raise chickens and take care of a huge garden which provided lots of fruits and vegetables for them to can every summer. Life was not easy—there was no electricity or indoor plumbing until 1936.
Melba loved basketball. In school, she played two court, 6 girl basketball, and was a first-stringer beginning in seventh grade. She was always busy with school activities, and she and her family were very involved at their church, where Melba volunteered to do the scripture readings and helped with Sunday school. She graduated from Buck Creek High School in 1942 as salutatorian of her class.
Her three years of nurses’ training began in September 1942 at St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids, where she joined the Cadet Nurse Corps. As a member of the Corps, she pledged to help the war effort, and served at Schick General Hospital in Clinton, Iowa for the last six months of her training. She met her future husband, Joseph Jasiewicz, there. Melba and Joe married January 21, 1946, and lived in his hometown of Manchester, New Hampshire before moving back to Cedar Rapids in March 1951. She worked as an RN, first at St. Luke’s, then as a private practice nurse, until she retired in 1983.
Melba is survived by her daughter Diane (Wayne) Jones of Urbandale, Iowa; her son Mike (Jan) of Cedar Rapids; granddaughters Jackie Jones, Kelli (Maurice) Blue, Lisa (Dustin) Kowalewski, Kristen (Brian) Dolder; step-grandsons Ryan and Sean Phelan; and great-grandchildren Ava and Kennedy Blue, Lilah and Liv Kowalewski, and Mark and Sarah Dolder. Melba was blessed with many long-time friends, including Deb and Jim Miller and Chris Hinz. During Melba’s later years, Chris was her angel, helping her and visiting her often. Melba’s St. Luke’s nursing school roommate, Sarah (Jonesy) Brourink, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, stayed in touch with her through the years. The two of them had a very fun and memorable reunion in August.
Melba was preceded in death and greeted in heaven by her husband, Joe, her parents Olin and Grace, her sister Vivian, and of course by the family dog Peppi and her grand-dog Scamp.
Melba was a lifelong Hawkeye fan, closely following football and women’s and men’s basketball. She was a member of St. Matthew Catholic Church. In addition to working full time most of her life, Melba had many hobbies, including gardening, sewing, knitting, and baking. Her friends and family all benefitted from her skills, as she shared her home-baked goods and beautiful hand-made clothing. She also shared her great love for God’s creatures—the neighborhood birds and squirrels were very well fed.
Melba was a positive, generous woman who was the embodiment of the phrase “busy hands are happy hands.” She will be missed.
Funeral Mass: 10:00 a.m. Saturday at St. Matthew Catholic Church, where friends may greet the family after 9:00 a.m.. Burial: Mt. Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Cedar Rapids. Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the St. Luke’s Foundation.