Rejman "Ray" Edward Jirsa

Clive, formerly of Ottumwa

Rejman “Ray” Jirsa, 78, died peacefully on January 12, 2016, at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines after suffering a stroke. A celebration of life service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, January 15, 2016, at Lutheran Church of Hope in West Des Moines. His family will be present at 10 a.m. There will be two visitations on Thursday, January 14, 2016, beginning in Ottumwa at Reece Funeral Home from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and continuing in West Des Moines at McLaren’s Resthaven Chapel from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Rejman was born on April 12, 1937, in Waterloo to Emil and Evelyn Jirsa. He graduated from Waterloo West High School in 1955 and went on to attend The University of Northern Iowa and The Milwaukee School of Engineering. Rejman served in the U.S. Army for three years and was stationed in Germany. He married Louise Marie Snyder on October 2, 1965, in Agency, and they recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Rejman retired from the John Deere Ottumwa Works in 1999 as a general supervisor of the test and experimental division after more than 38 years of service.

Rejman lived a wonderful and full life. He was quiet and gentle with a great inner strength. He spoke with thoughtful words always mixed with a great sense of humor. Rejman was kind with a disarming demeanor, and went out of his way to make everyone feel special and a friend. He never met a dog he didn’t like, and they all liked him.

Rejman is survived by his wife, Louise; his children, Dr. Darren Jirsa of Des Moines and Jaclyn Jirsa of New York City; brother, Thomas (Vernett) Jirsa of Dubuque; brothers-in-law, Marvin (Carolyn) Snyder of Fenton, MI and Dale Snyder of Cedar Rapids; many nieces and nephews; great friends and neighbors; and a favorite Rottweiler named Edda. He was preceded in death by his parents as well as sisters, Mary Lou Immer (Robert) and Doris Gibb (Sid), and brother-in-law, Don Snyder.

In 1999, Rejman received a liver transplant, granting him 17 years of the sweetest reprieve any of us would ever know. Rejman’s wish to be a tissue donor and return this gift of life was carried out at the time of his death. As a result, memorial donations in memory of Rejman can be made to the Mayo Clinic for liver transplant research by going online at www.mayoclinic.org/development or by mail to the Department of Development, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St. SW, Rochester, MN 55905. Memorials may also be directed to a charity of one’s choosing.