(THELMA) JEWEL PEARSE, 93, of Phoenix, AZ and former Quimby and Washta area resident, passed away Sunday evening, November 23, 2008, in Phoenix.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, December 13, 2008 at 10 a.m. at the Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee, Iowa. Pastor David Duncan of Milwaukee will officiate. Burial will be in the Grandview Cemetery at Quimby, Iowa. Visitation will be from 1 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Friday at the Boothby Funeral Home. The family will be present on Saturday morning from 9 a.m. until service time. On line condolences may be sent to www.boothbyfuneral.com.

Thelma Jewel Martin was born on December 12, 1914, in Izard County, Arkansas to Aaron David Martin and Adello (Rector) Martin. She moved with her family to the Quimby area as a child. On April 19, 1936, she married Keith Pearse. They resided in the Washta and Quimby areas, with Keith working as a blacksmith and Jewel for a time serving as the Washta Postmistress. They had two children, Ruth Ann and James, as well as a son, John, who died in infancy. They were members of the Quimby Methodist Church and taught Sunday school there.

In her thirties, Jewel fulfilled a lifelong dream and went back to school to become a teacher, earning both her bachelors and masters degrees. She was a much beloved history teacher at Washta Jr./Sr. High School for many years before moving to Phoenix, and it was a source of much joy and pride that she had grateful students who kept in touch with her until the end of her life. She was also deeply involved in the life of the community, so much so that she was called upon to be a contributing writer to the Quimby Centennial publication which documented significant moments in the town's first 100 years. A fervent proponent of education, she continually encouraged family and friends that it is never too late to pursue one's education and one's dreams.

Jewel and Keith relocated permanently to Phoenix in 1979, where she taught in the public schools until retirement. They were active members of The Cross in the Desert Methodist Church, where they celebrated 63 years of marriage and where just a few years ago Jewel had the opportunity to preach an inspiring Sunday morning sermon. She was an avid Democrat and—later in life—Phoenix Suns fan.

She was preceded in death by her daughter, Ruth Ann (Chapman) in 1998, her husband, Keith, in 1999, as well as her identical twin sister, Ruby, and her son Dr. James Pearse, both in 2008, also two brothers Ted Martin and Homer Martin.

Survivors include two grandchildren: Annette Lovrien Duncan and her husband, David, of Franklin, WI; and Brenda Lovrien of Lincoln, NE; seven great-grandchildren: Danielle, Cherisse, David, Joshua, Kalia, Lihannah and Nathaniel Duncan of Franklin, WI; a sister, Mary Schramm, of Glendale, AZ; a niece, Marilyn Koole of Phoenix; a sister-in-law Billie Martin of Cherokee, Iowa; as well as many other nieces, nephews, and cousins.