Gwenn M. Jessen
Gwenn Mary Jessen, age 83, of Berlin, died courageously on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at Evergreen Retirement Community in Oshkosh.
She was born May 31, 1941, at Berlin Memorial Hospital, the daughter of John and Josephine Sexton Jones. Two years later she was joined by brother, Tom. Gwenn was a 1959 graduate of Berlin High School and received a degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1963. In June 1969, she was united in marriage to Terry Jessen. They later divorced.
Gwenn spent thirteen years as a school speech therapist serving four different school systems, traveling around to 27 separate school buildings! In late 1978 she moved to Berlin to be near her widowed father. She spent 8 ½ years at Kolpin Manufacturing in Accounts Receivable followed by five years as the Product Sales Manager for Weight Watchers in WI. In 1994, she began the best job of all as an Economic Support Specialist for Green Lake County, retiring in 2013. In her own words, quite an eclectic work history, wouldn’t you say?! She was a former member of St. Joseph Catholic Church and a current member of All Saints Catholic Parish in Berlin.
Gwenn’s greatest accomplishment, and the loves of her life, were her two daughters and five grandchildren. Together they made her life a joy and a delight. She couldn’t be prouder! Following behind her magnificent seven were her friends…some life-time friends like Lynn, Betty, Ruth Ann and Sara; her college friend, Marie; long-ago work friends, Ann D. and Lorna; some later-in-life great friends like Mike, Fay and Sharon; her Omro church friends, Sue, Lori and Pam; and of course her super GLC coworkers, Danette, Betty, Joan and Judy W. All these pals, named and unnamed, made life much sweeter for Gwenn.
She is survived by her two daughters, Jenna Wick and Abigail Ellis (Jason); five grandchildren, Madison Callegari, Sullivan “Sully” Ellis, Barrett "Bear" Melstrand, Robert “Beau” Wick and Abraham “Brahm” Wick; brother, J. Thomas (Wanda) Jones; nieces, Carrie and her daughter, Jane, Dana (Jason) and their boys, Sam and Oscar; cousins, Richard (Carole) and David Jones; and other relatives and friends. Gwenn was preceded in death by her parents.
A wish for her family and cherished friends…May God bless you, watch over you in love, and give you peace.
A gathering of family and friends will be held on Friday, May 23, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., at All Saints Catholic Parish in Berlin. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m., with Monsignor James L. Gunn officiating. Inurnment will be in Oakwood Cemetery. Arrangements have been entrusted to Barbola Funeral Chapel in Berlin. Memorials may be directed to All Saints Catholic Parish or School. Anyone wishing to send a sympathy card to the family, please mail to Gwenn Jessen, c/o Barbola Funeral Chapel, PO Box 201, Berlin, WI 54923.
Online condolences may be submitted and sent using the form below. You may also email condolences to the family through "barbolafc@yahoo.com". All condolences are private and sent only to the family.