Obituary of Roy Jesser

Roy Russell Jesser, WWII veteran, farmer, and beloved husband, father, and grandfather passed away in his home surrounded by his family on June 6, 2020. He was 94. The family will host a viewing at Rosenau Funeral Home from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Monday, June 15. A memorial service will be held in Roy’s honor on Tuesday, June 16 at 2:00 p.m. at the Twin Falls Nazarene Church (the service will be held in the gym and social distancing will be observed). Family and friends are welcome to attend both the viewing and the memorial. Roy was born September 6, 1925 in Lynch, Nebraska to Cora Mae (Haun) and Fred William Jesser. The Jessers lived in South Dakota until 1933, when Roy rode in the back of a pickup truck on the long drive to the family’s new home in southern Idaho. After graduating from Twin Falls High School in 1943, Roy farmed with his father for two years before enlisting in the army and serving in WWII. He was deployed to the Pacific and occupied Japan from January, 1945 to September, 1946. Roy married Jean Marion Feldhusen of Kimberly, Idaho on May 31, 1953. The couple met through mutual friends at the Feldhusen family cabin in Ketchum. They spent many happy years together farming and raising their four children. Roy and Jean hosted several exchange students when their children were growing up, including Soren Johannsen, Isabella Bermudas, Fritz Langenegger, and Luis Ortiz; they all became part of the family. After their retirement Roy and Jean took great joy in hosting bridge parties, travelling in their RV, going on cruises with their close friends, and spending time with their children and grandchildren. Roy worked for many years with his father selling Jeeps and farm equipment at Jesser Equipment Co. Roy and his father also farmed southwest of Twin Falls. Roy loved farming, and in 1962 he and Jean bought VR Bar Ranch southeast of Kimberly. In addition to growing crops, the couple raised Hereford cattle and Morgan horses for many years. Roy was active in the community, and served on the Junior Chamber of Commerce, for which he won an Outstanding Citizen Award, and the Twin Falls County Fair Board. He also served for 50 years as a member and chairman of the Snake River Soil Conservation District and worked with farmers to implement conservation practices throughout the Magic Valley. Together with his wife Jean, Roy was an active and devoted member of the Twin Falls United Methodist Church. Roy is preceded in death by his parents and three brothers, Gordon, George, and Fred “Slim” Jr. In addition to Jean, his wife of 67 years, Roy leaves behind sons Rusty (Wendy) and John (Lisa) Jesser, daughters Carolyn (Ron) Harrelson and Susan Jesser, younger sister Mary Lou Messenger, eleven grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. Roy will be sorely missed, but he is in eternity with his Lord and Savior and the myriad of saints and family that has gone before him. We look forward to the day we will see him again. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Twin Falls United Methodist Church.