Jean Marie Wallenburg, 66, Inwood, Iowa, died Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021, at Ava’s House in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, following a 15-month battle with pancreatic cancer.
A memorial service was Thursday, Dec. 23, 2021, at Bethany Reformed Church in Canton, South Dakota.
Jean Marie Hassebroek was born Sept. 24, 1955, to Jake and Anna Mae (Muller) Hassebroek in Sibley, Iowa, and first lived on the family farm near Ellsworth. When Jean was 3 years old, the family moved to a farm north of Magnolia. At 4 years old Jean started school at Magnolia until her junior year, when her parents moved back to a farm east of Ellsworth. She finished her senior year attending and graduating from Ellsworth High School.
Jean married Alan Eben in 1974 and they divorced in 2005. While married to Alan, Jean helped with the farm including milking cows, doing the chores and fieldwork. They were blessed with four children, Stacy, Jodi, Curtis and Scott.
Jean enjoyed riding horse from childhood until her health prevented her from doing so. She bought her own Harley Davidson motorcycle and rode it many times in the Black Hills at the Sturgis Rally.
She loved to go camping, whether alone or with her grandchildren, Dax or Jesse. Jean also loved watching her two sons and her grandsons wrestle.
In January 2011, Jean met Dave Wallenburg They married on July 7, 2018. Dave introduced her to many firsts, like shooting her first deer, shooting a Canadian goose, fishing for walleye, and trapping raccoons.
Jean was a member of the Bethany Reformed Church of Canton, South Dakota. She taught Bible School, Sunday School, and served on the Lyon County Dairy Board.
Jean is survived by her husband, Dave Wallenburg; four children and eight grandchildren, Stacy (Todd) Dieren and their children, Paige and Trevor of Rock Rapids, Iowa, Jodi (Dan) De Groot and their children, Dax and Jesse of George, Iowa, Curtis (Amanda) Eben and their children, Graham, Rhett, Sage, and Nash of Rock Rapids, and Scott Eben of George; three stepchildren and eight step-grandchildren, Melissa (Greg) Van Den Berg and their children, Kyla and Nolan of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Dustin (Roxy) Wallenburg their children, Ben and Sawyer of Canton, South Dakota, and Krista Wallenburg (Jared Cramer) and their children, Addie, Cameron, Norah, and Quinn of Sioux Falls; father- and mother-in-law, Gerald and Marion Wallenburg; and two brothers, Gary (Marcene) Hassebroek of Luverne, and Glen (Diane) Hassebroek of Adrian.
Jean was preceded in death by her parents.
Memorials may be given to Lake Pahoja Recreation Area along with a memorial bench and Ava’s House.
Arrangements were provided by Porter Funeral Home of Inwood.
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