Jessie Ellen Hawthorne

Mrs. Hawthorne was retired as a restaurant owner/operator.

He is survived by two sons, Bill of Grand Junction and Jerry of Fruita; six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions to HopeWest and Hospice Care Center, 3090B N. 12th St., Grand Junction, 81506.

Jessie Hawthorne

November 25, 1919 - December 23, 2014

Jessie Ellen Hawthorne passed away Tuesday, December 23rd, 2014, at Larchwood Inns in Grand Junction, CO.

She was born November 25, 1919, in Hotchkiss, CO to Roy and Mary Burchard. Jessie was orphaned in 1927, spent two years in a Denver orphanage, and was raised by Mabel and Bill Cooper in the San Luis Valley near Monte Vista.

She began her lifelong career as a cook in 1936, at the Norton Ranch near Alamosa, CO where she met and married Victor Hawthorne, a cowboy for the ranch, in 1938. Gil Traveler, the colorful preacher/horse trader officiated. In 1940 their son, William, was born in Alamosa. The family moved to Gunnison, where their son, Jerry, was born in 1942.

Victor and Jessie lived in Kit Carson County for seven years before settling in New Liberty (near Mack) in 1952. Jessie opened her first restaurant at the Grand Junction Livestock Auction in 1960 before owning the Valley Livestock Auction's Cowboy Cafe, and from 1976 -1992, Jessie's Kitchen on South 7th Street. Customers loved her delicious pies and Thursday morning biscuits and gravy.

Jessie is preceded in death by Victor, her husband of 61 years; and grandson, Bill. She is survived by sons, Bill (Sue) Hawthorne of Grand Junction, and Jerry Hawthorne of Fruita; six grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.

Services will be held on Friday, January 16, at 2:00 p.m. at Callahan-Edfast in Grand Junction.

Deepest thanks to Larchwood and Hospice staff. Donations can be made to HopeWest Hospice.