JEAN M. BIRTWELL , 81, of Cherokee, Iowa passed away Saturday afternoon, February 24, 2018 at Accura Healthcare.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, February 28th, at 11 a.m. at the Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee, Iowa. Pastor Mark Leeds will officiate. Burial will be in the Cedar Cemetery at Larrabee, Iowa. There will be a family prayer service at 10:45 a.m. at the funeral home on Wednesday. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until service time on Wednesday morning with the family present at that time. Online condolences can be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com

Jean was born May 1, 1936 at Des Moines, Iowa to Alfred J. & Irene E. (Koppes) Chancellor. She grew up in the Iowa Falls area attending country schools in Webster and Hardin counties, graduating from Iowa Falls High School in 1954. She was married to Daniel L. Birtwell on October 7, 1956 at Mason City, Iowa. They lived in Mason City until 1961 when they moved to Spencer and then to Cherokee in 1962.

Before her marriage, she worked in various grocery meat markets, then as a homemaker and a Tupperware Demonstrator. She had also worked at the Cherokee Mental Health Institute and the Hilltop Nursing Home. In later years she attended clerical classes at Iowa Lakes Community College. After her children were grown, she worked in clerical and bookkeeping in various offices, working as clerical secretary up to general manager of Iowa Osteopathic Institute for 6 years. In August of 2001 she retired from Conley Farms.

Presently, Jean was a faithful member of the Heritage Baptist Church since 2001, previously an active member of Grace Baptist Church from 1966 – 2001, where she taught Sunday School and held various offices. She enjoyed 4-H for four years while growing up and then in later years Church fellowship activities, reading, cooking, handwork, and especially helping family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Daniel on December 19, 2016, a son Douglas L. Birtwell on February 27, 1972, a sister Joyce Torres on February 6, 1986, and a grandson Peyton Leo Birtwell on October 19, 2013

She is survived by her three children, Debra J. Birtwell of Lincoln, Nebraska, Diana K. and her husband Tim Knaack of Cherokee, and Daniel J. Birtwell of Cherokee, Iowa, five grandchildren, six great-grandchildren with one more on the way; a brother-in-law Jose Torres of Rockford, Illinois.