Vaudine Marzelle Jirsa

Posted

(October 19, 2001)

Funeral services will be conducted Wednesday at 10 a.m. at First United Methodist Church in Powell for Vaudine Marzelle Jirsa, 77, who died Friday, Oct. 19 in Sandy, Utah, of cancer.

A Heart Mountain homesteader, she moved recently to Utah to be near a daughter.

She was born Aug. 6, 1924, in Pittsburgh, Kans., to Fred and Nona (Peters) Ridenour. She graduated from Pittsburgh State University in 1945 with a B.S. degree in physical education.

On March 17, 1945, she married Robert John Jirsa in Pittsburgh, Kans. He died Nov. 13, 1994.

They homesteaded on the Heart Mountain Division of the Shoshone Reclamation Project in 1949. She was a member of First United Methodist Church in Powell and was active in United Methodist Women, Heart Mountain Club and the Heart Mountain Sewing Club. She volunteered at the Powell Nursing Home and the Buffalo Bill Historical Center. She often talked about the times spent at the Heart Mountain Clubhouse over the years at 4-H meetings, Bible school, and in the early years, dances and parties. She cherished the friendships made over the years with the "homesteaders" and considered them her second family. She enjoyed traveling with her family and friends. She loved Wyoming and the farm life.

For many years, she was a country correspondent for the Powell Tribune, reporting on the activities of residents of the Mountain View area.

Survivors include daughter Jan Vafa and husband Andrew and grandson Robert of Bellevue, Wash., daughter JoAnne Myers and husband Greg and children Leslie and Brad of South Jordan, Utah; brother Gene Ridenour and wife Colleen of Summerfield, Fla., and several nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held tonight (Tuesday) from 6 to 8 p.m. at Miratsky-Easton Funeral Home. Following Wednesday morning services, burial will be in Crown Hill Cemetery.

For those who wish, memorials to First United Methodist Church, Habitat for Humanity or the charity of donor's choice would be appreciated by the family.

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