Obituary of Jean Van Tasell

VAN TASELL, Jean 12/16/1921 - 10/12/2018 Jean passed away in Tucson, AZ just two months shy of her 97th birthday. She was born in Manchester, IA, and grew up in Independence, IA. She married her high school sweetheart, Carl, during World War II when they were both serving in the Army - she as a nurse and he as a pilot in the Army Air Corps. They were married 68 happy and adventuresome years until Carl's passing in 2012. For the 30 years that Carl served in the Air Force, Jean supervised countless household moves that came with the frequent relocation of an Air Force pilot, and endured many months of single parenthood while Carl was deployed to duty in other parts of the world. After Carl's retirement, they enjoyed many more years of travel, golf, fishing in northern Minnesota and Wisconsin, and watching their grandchildren grow up. Through it all she and Carl exemplified for their entire family a strong set of values that included honesty, humility, hard work, and self-reliance. Jean was a natural athlete: she starred on her high school girls' basketball team, and later in life took up tennis and golf and excelled at both. When she could no longer participate in sports, she became an avid fan. She could always be relied upon for an informed opinion about the NBA draft, the likely winner at Wimbledon, or the short game of the current favorite on the PGA tour. She often won the annual family basketball pool, and she continued to do so well into her 90s until the family finally just named the trophy after her. She was always perfectly coiffed and dressed in the latest fashion, and she enjoyed a good meal, anything that involved bling, and the occasional glass of champagne in the morning. She was especially proud of the accomplishments of her three grandchildren --- Carl, Carrie, and Megan. She is survived by them, by her two children, David (Eileen) of Kansas City, and Dianne (Steve) of Tucson, and by three great-grandchildren. The family expresses their heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Leonardo Mendoza and his staff, and to the staff of Mountain View Retirement Village, for their kind and compassionate care of Jean, especially during the last months of her life. Memorial services will be held at a later date. Arrangements by ADAIR FUNERAL HOME, Avalon Chapel.