Jessie Marie Sundgren, age 88 of Leonardville, passed away Wednesday, March 26, 2025, at the Leonardville Nursing Home.

She was born on February 16, 1937, in Fort Riley, Kansas.  She attended public schools in Junction City and Belleville, Illinois before graduating from Leonardville High School.  Following graduation, she attended Bethany College and received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Kansas State University.

On July 22, 1956, she married Kermit Sundgren at the Walsburg Lutheran Church.  He preceded her in death on January 13, 2024.

Jessie was confirmed in the Walsburg Lutheran Church and held various positions in the church such as: lay leader, Sunday school teacher, Catechism instructor and church council secretary.

She was an elementary school teacher for 40 years, five of those being in a one room schoolhouse.  She taught at Randolph Elementary School for a year and a half, and the remaining years were spent at Leonardville Elementary School and Riley County Grade School.

She is survived by her son, Roger Sundgren and wife Kathy of Leonardville; one sister, Marla Gammill of Ponca City, Oklahoma; one sister-in-law, Beverly Sundgren of Leonardville, and four grandchildren, Tina Deines, Matthew Sundgren, Shea Sundgren, and Katherine Sundgren.

In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents; her foster parents, Pastor Virgil and Doris Lundquist, and one brother-in-law, Eldon Sundgren.

Graveside services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, April 3, 2025, at the Walsburg Cemetery with Pastor Kevin Larson officiating.

Memorials may be made to the Leonardville Nursing Home or Walsburg Lutheran Church Landscaping Fund and left in care of the Anderes-Pfeifley Funeral Home.

Condolences may be left for the family at www.apfunerals.com.