Roberta “Bobby” Jean Jurchen, the daughter of Gilbert and Lily Laverne (Crouse) Rieken, was born November 28, 1933, in Albia, NE. She died November 25, 2025, at Red Oak Nursing and Rehab, in Red Oak, IA, at the age of 91 years, 11 months, and 28 days.
Bobby moved to Griswold, Iowa, in 1940 and attended country school before graduating from Griswold High School in 1953. She married Harold Jurchen on February 14, 1954, at the Griswold United Methodist Church. Together, they lived on a farm north of Grant, IA, then moved to Conrad, IA, and Webb, IA, before returning to Griswold in 1988.
After high school, Bobby worked as a telephone operator and later in various nursing homes. In 2018, she moved to the Griswold Care Center and then to Red Oak Nursing and Rehab. She had a passion for reading the Bible and participating in Bible studies. Bobby also enjoyed word searches, crocheting, embroidery, playing cards, and gardening.
She was preceded in death by her son Arthur and her parents.
She is survived by her loving husband Harold of Griswold, IA; her children: Jeffrey (Linda) Jurchen, Ronald Dean (Teri) Jurchen, Allan (Marina) Jurchen, and Rebecca (Dennis) Larson; nine grandchildren; and eleven great-grandchildren.
A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, at 11:00 AM, at the Faith Lutheran Church in Griswold, IA. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the funeral. Lunch at the church will immediately follow the funeral service. Interment will be in St. John’s Cemetery south of Lyman at 1:30 PM. Rieken Duhn Funeral Home in Griswold is assisting the family.
