Jean E. Kihm

On January 16th, our mother Jean Elizabeth “Little Jean” Kihm (85) passed away surrounded by family at the Hillview Health Care Center in La Crosse. She was one of seven children born in Hokah, Minnesota to Maleta (Schulenburg) and Bernard Kerrigan. Jean was an excellent student, graduating in 1950 from Hokah’s St. Peter’s High School, along with four other members of a tiny senior class.

After high school she worked as an operator for La Crosse Telephone Company. There she met a woman then named Jeanne Kihm (later Jeanne Wateski), who became her close friend and roommate, and eventually our Aunt—see below. The two were inseparable and to distinguish between them acquaintances referred to Mom as “Little Jean” and her friend as “Big Jeanne.”

To complicate matters (in a good way for us), in 1952 Little Jean married Big Jeanne’s brother George (Dewey) Kihm, in the process becoming Jean Kihm, which when spoken aloud sounded exactly like Jeanne Kihm. (We hope you’re not confused.) To distinguish between the two in family settings, the size-based adjectives stuck, elevating “Little Jean” to permanent status as Mom’s moniker in the Kihm relation. We’re sure that today many of our relatives on Dad’s side are informing others that they were sad to hear that Little Jean has passed away.

Jean and Dewey were married for 69 years, until Dewey passed away in 2011. They raised seven children: Patty Kuzen of Waimea, HI, Steve of Madison, WI, Sue Wilson (Steve) of Minnetonka, MN, Dave (Beth) of Albuquerque, NM, Barb Sherwood (Jeff) of La Crosse, Jenifer (John Emmons) also of Albuquerque, and Jan (Mike Moulsoff) of St. Paul, MN. Their first two children, twin boys John and Francis, passed away shortly after their birth in 1953. Jean was able to see her five grandchildren, Jake, Connor, Carly, Maleta, and Leo, grow to be wonderful young people.

After her children ventured out on their own paths, Jean landed a rewarding job at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse admissions and registrar’s office. Throughout her years as mother and grandmother, she was a resourceful seamstress, making new outfits for all of us, both everyday apparel and fancy items for special occasions. She was an avid gardener, and loved playing cards and backgammon. Her specialty, though, was Scrabble. The fact that she knew three words that started with a “q” but that were not followed by a “u” meant she won almost every time. We’re sure there other Scrabble players in heaven, Mom. Dad’s probably got the board set up for you.

In addition to Dewey and her twin boys, Jean was preceded in passing by her parents, her brothers Bob, Bill, Dick, and Jim. She is survived by her sister Mary, her brother Tom, her seven remaining children, and her five grandchildren. We all love you and miss you, Mom. We’re glad you’re finally at peace. Say hi to Dad for us.

We would like to thank the staff at Hillview for their wonderful care for our Mom during her stay. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer’s Disease Research Program.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 A.M. Saturday, January 20 ^th at Mary, Mother of the Church Parish, 2006 Weston Street, La Crosse with Rev. Brian D. Konopa officiating. Entombment will follow in the Chapel of Devotion Mausoleum, Woodlawn Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Friday from 5-7 P.M. at the Schumacher-Kish Funeral and Cremation Services of La Crosse; and on Saturday at the church from 9:30 A.M. until the time of Mass.