Visitation is Friday, February 10th from 4 to 7pm at Runge Mortuary & Crematory with a memorial service Saturday, February 11th at 10am.
Dee was born in Maquoketa, Iowa the daughter of Art and Helen Delaney. She grew up on a farm on North Brady Street in Davenport next to the # 9 one room schoolhouse, which she attended until going to the Immaculate Conception Academy. After high school, she married Roger Jepsen and together they raised six children. In early 1970, Dee met and embraced Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of her life. From that point on, her life was forever changed, she lived to honor Jesus and he used her mightily. In 1978 Roger was elected to the U.S. Senate from Iowa and from 1979-82 Dee served as an unsalaried assistant to her husband. Roger called her his “most trusted aide and confidant – my partner.” During her days on Capitol Hill, Dee was active as a member of the Congregational Wives for Soviet Jewry, Creed, The Republican Wives Club and The Ladies of the Senate.
She served President Reagan on the President’s Task Force on Private Sector Initiatives, and as a Special Assistant to the President as a liaison to women’s organizations. President Regan praised her “commitment to justice, fair dealing and equal opportunity under our system of law.”
Dee became a national and international lecturer speaking with special sensitivity on the role of women. She authored several books and was founder and president of Enough is Enough, a nonprofit whose mission is to fight child pornography and internet pedophiles. Dee had the honor to meet Pope John Paul and Mother Theresa. She had a special gift as an artist and painter, and co-authored a book on water color painting. Dee was involved in many other organizations and pursuits and she served them well giving God all the glory for enabling her service. She more importantly, was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She prayed for, cared, counseled and loved her family and for that we are eternally grateful. She had a life-long love of dogs and currently Annie was the object of her affection. She loved to laugh, have fun, and always found the humor in life’s situations. One of her philosophy’s was to “kill them with kindness” which served her well as most people she met turned into good friends.
Dee was preceded in death by her husband Roger, mother Helen, father Art, step-mother Louise, brother Don, daughter Linda, brother-in-laws Myron Jepsen, and Jim Nymann. She is survived by her children Jeff, Davenport, Ann Carruthers, Davenport, Craig (Pat) Long Grove, Debbie Geisler, Davenport and Coy (Alicia) Wisconsin, sisters-in-law Jill Delaney, Bertie Jepsen, Carol Nymann, nine grandchildren and twenty great grandchildren.
A special thank you to all the staff at Dee’s home, Grand Haven, for their love and care over the past two years and the wonderful care and respect at Clarissa Cook Hospice House in Dee’s final days. Our family is sincerely grateful.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Enough is Enough or Clarissa Cook Hospice House.
