Jeanne Travis

A Celebration of Life service for Jeanne Travis will be held March 5, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Milford, Iowa. A private family burial will take place at Woodlawn Cemetery in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.prior to the services on March 5th. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be left for Milford Fire and Rescue. Jeanne was born on March 24, 1924 at Hartington, NE to Raymond Valentine and Nettie Marie Metzger Fletcher. She was joined in the family by a brother, William (Bill), on September 6, 1925. They enjoyed an interesting life as children. Their father Raymond was a lawyer in South Dakota and was the State's Attorney at White River, SD. In his spare time, he and Nettie owned and operated the Lyric Movie Theatres in Hartington. They also, along with Nettie's brother, Roy and Ed, owned and operated BEN DAK Movie Theatres throughout South Dakota and Nebraska. Raymond was a gambler. He loved a good card game and would bet on anything, double or nothing quite often on everything from a cup of coffee to the theatres they owned. Jeanne's parents were both great musicians, Raymond loved to sing and had a wonderful voice and Nettie played the piano. Music was very much a part of their childhood. Jeanne's childhood is where her love of music, cards and movies started. Jeanne and Bill both were expected to have good grades in school. Jeanne said she remembers getting sick thinking about the B grade she had gotten and not wanting to tell her parents. They both graduated from Hartington Nebraska High School. Jeanne earned a scholarship to Chillicothe Missouri Business College and graduated top of the class. Bill went on following in his father's footsteps of begin a lawyer in South Dakota and also went into the service of his country. Jeanne upon graduation went back to Sioux City, Iowa and started working in the business office of the Sioux City Stock Yards and also in the offices of Younkers Clothing Store. It was there she met James L. Travis and they married on May 29, 1947 in Hartington. They purchased the Strand and Lakeland Movie Theatres in Milford, IA in 1948 and moved to Milford where she lived the rest of her life. She and Jim also built the Milford Speedway north of Milford and started the first auto race in the area. Jeanne and Jim had two children, Mike and Patti. Jim and Jeanne divorced and the theatres were sold. Jeanne then went to work as a hostess at Vern & Coila's and at the New Inn for many, many years. She loved those jobs getting out being with so many fun people and meeting many new friends. She enjoyed many years of playing in numerous bridge clubs, bowling leagues and card clubs. She loved to cook and try new recipes, travel, keep her house spotless, her lawn and gardens looking so nice and spending time with her family especially the grandkids. She loved anything red, a good joke, her dog on her lap, a good laugh and a good drink and she meant a GOOD DRINK. Jeanne passed away February 23, 2016 at Hawkeye Care Center in Milford at ninety-one years of age. She is preceded in death by her brother, Second LT William Fletcher who was killed on January 5, 1952 at the age of 26 during the Korean Conflict, and her parents, Raymond and Nettie. Jeanne is survived by her children, Mike (Deb) Travis of Milford, IA and Patti (Dennis) Colbert of Jacksonville, FL; grandchildren, Josh (Dawn) Travis of Fairfield, IA and Billi (Keith) Feller of Milford, IA; great-grandchildren, Seth and Ryan Feller and Bailey Travis; sister-in-law, Marge Roberts of Charles City, IA; niece, Jacque Brown of Des Moines, IA; and nephew, Fred (Shelly) Fletcher of Winona, MN. Jeanne's motto, "Love, Laugh and Enjoy Life, it's 5 o'clock somewhere" will be her legacy for us all to remember.