Mary Des Jardins

Mary Pearl Des Jardins was born January 21st, 1928, the daughter of Charles E. and Florence Edith (Morgan) Rasmussen. Mary and her twin brother, Richard, were born at the home of their grandparents in Eagle Grove, Iowa. She graduated from high school in 1946 in Webster City. She attended Iowa State Teacher’s College and taught elementary school in Goldfield, Iowa. After a year of teaching, she worked as a library assistant at Kendall Young Library where she met her future husband, Bill Des Jardins. They were married on June 8, 1952. After marriage, the couple lived in Kansas, New Mexico, Missouri, and Colorado where Bill was the first Public Relations Officer at the new Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. After her husband died in 1961, Mary returned to Webster City to be near her family.

She returned to the University of Northern Iowa for her degree in Library Science. Mary served as the librarian at Northeast Hamilton School for 9 years, and then the Webster City High School for 14 years. After her retirement, she continued working as a volunteer at the Kendall Young Library.

She is survived by her sister-in-law, Norma Rasmussen; nieces and nephews, Bruce Rasmussen (Jill), Marsha Kasemeier (Larry), George Rasmussen (Gloria), Kris Clouse (Denny), Rick Rasmussen (Alayne), David Mitchell (Sharon), Steven Mitchell (Angie), Jim Mitchell (Cindy), Ted Mitchell (Janet), Robert Mitchell (Robin); 23 great-nieces and nephews 25 great-great-nieces and nephews.

Mary is preceded in death by her husband, Bill; her parents, Chuck and Florence; her twin brother, Richard and her sister, Frances Mitchell.

She was a member of the National Education Association, Kappa Delta Pi, Delta Kappa Gamma, BPW, Hamilton County Hospital Auxiliary, Friends of Kendall Young Library, and the New Testament Church of Christ.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Kendall Young Library in Mary’s memory.