9/19/1999
Thomas Jenkins of Decorah died September 19, were held Sept 24, 1999, at First United
Methodist church in Decorah. The Rev. James Dale officiated at the services.
Thomas was born November 30, 1929, in Chariton, the son of John Arthur and Gladys
Amanda, Schrum Jenkins.
He attended schools in Chariton and Knoxville. He served in the U.S. Air Force,
where he served as a radar instructor. He graduated, from the Iowa State Universtiy in
Ames, in 1958, with a degree in Civil Engineering. He worked for the Iowa Department
of Transportation as a Civil Engineer until his retirement in 1992.
He was united in marriage to Jean Jennison on December 20, 1958, in Ames. The couple
lived in Des Moines and Marshalltown before moving to Decorah in 1965.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and his wife, Jean.
He is survived by four daughters, Judy Cheek of Virginia Beach, Va., Margaret Colangelo
of Northfield, Minn., Shirley Vermace of Birmingham, Ala., and Ruth Jenkins of Minneapolis,
Minn.; a son, John of Mt. Pleasant, S.C.; two sisters, Evelyn Narkevitz of Barstow,
Calif., and and Colleen Chewning of Morrison, Colo.; a brother, Jim Jenkins of Eugene,
Ore.; and eight grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to the Iowa Historical Society, and the Winneshiek County
Conservation Board.
Arrangements were made by Fjestul Funeral Home in Decorah.