Melba Jasiewicz

MELBA M. JASIEWICZ

Cedar Rapids

Melba M. Jasiewicz, 92, died peacefully Oct. 30, 2017, at St. Luke's Living Center West in Cedar Rapids.

On Dec. 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. Life was not easy as there was no electricity or indoor plumbing until 1936.

In school, Melba played two-court, six-girl basketball, and was a first-stringer beginning in seventh grade. She graduated from Buck Creek High School in 1942 as salutatorian of her class.

She began her nursing career 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 served at Schick General Hospital in Clinton, Iowa, where she met her future husband, Joseph Jasiewicz. They married Jan. 21, 1946, and lived in Joe's hometown of Manchester, N.H., before moving back to Cedar Rapids in 1951. She worked as an RN, first at St. Luke's, then as a private practice nurse, retiring 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 and Kristen (Brian) Dolder; stepgrandsons, Ryan and Sean Phelan; and six great-grandchildren.

Melba was preceded in death by her husband, Joe; her parents, Olin and Grace; and her sister, Vivian.

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 a.m. Saturday at St. Matthew Catholic Church, where friends may greet the family after 9 a.m. Burial: Mount Calvary Catholic Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the St. Luke's Foundation.

Full obituary at www.cedarmemorial.com.