Thelma Fish Giessen
November 19, 1912 - September 29, 2009

Stephenson-Dearman Funeral Home 943 Highway 425 North Monticello, AR 71655 Map & Directions First United Methodist Church Old Felloship Hall 317 S. Main St. Monticello ,  AR 71655 10/4/2009 from 2-4 P.M. Map & Directions Memorial Service First United Methodist Church 317 S. Main St. Monticello ,  AR 71655 10/5/2009 at 11 A.M. Map & Directions   First United Methodist Church S. Main Monticello, AR 71655   Heifer Project Rt. 2 Perryville, AR 72126

Thelma Fish Giessen, age 96, of Monticello, passed away Tuesday, September 29, 2009 at Monticello Health Care. She was born November 19, 1912 in Waterproof, LA., the daughter of the late George Dudley Fish and Jessie Guice Hunter Fish. After living five years in Idaho, she attended school in Monticello, AR, and graduated with honors from Monticello High School in 1930. She received an L.I. degree in 1932 and an A.B. degree in 1934 in the first four-year class at Arkansas A&M (now UAM). She taught at Drew Central High School in Monticello from 1934-1935.

She attended Scarritt College and recieved an M.A. degree from George Peabody College for Teachers, Nashville, TN, in 1938. From 1938 to 1940, she served as a missionary to Japan under the Methodist Episcopal Church, South (now United Methodist Church). She taught foods and nutrition at Hiroshima College for Women until she was forced to return to the United States during World War II. The following three years she worked under the National Youth Administration in the U.S. government program for disadvantaged girls in 21 counties of southern Arkansas.

On August 11, 1942, she married Rev. Charles H. Giessen in the First Methodist Church in Monticlelo. She was a partner in ministry with him in Little Rock and Louisiana Conferences of the United Methodist Church until his death in 1972. During these years they brought up three children, and she taught in public elementary schools in several Lousiana communities. Always loving children and seeking a challenge, she volunteered as a "cross-over" teacher when schools in Louisiana were being integrated. Her last eight years of teaching were in a pilot kindergarten program in Louisiana public schools. She retired in 1980 and returned to her hometown of Monticello where she continued active participation in church and community activities.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Rev. Charles H. Giessen and two brothers, Hunter Fish and Dudley E. Fish.

Survivors include three children and their spouses, Helen G. Guenter and husband, Joe of Monticello, AR; C. Henry Giessen, Jr. and wife, Cathy of Overland Park, KS; and Paul D. Giessen and wife, Ruth of Tulsa, OK; 7 grandchildren, Laura Burson Fernandes of Manhattan Beach, CA, Alicia Burson Riding of Aliso Viejo, CA, Frances Giessen, Charles Giessen and Mary Clair Giessen, all of Tulsa, OK, Marlene Giessen of Overland Park, KS and Rachel G. Heyduck of Waco, TX; and 3 great-grandchildren, Natasha Riding, Devon Fernandes, and Hudson Fernandes; and two sisters, Mary Fish McCauley of Sherwood, AR and JoAnne Fish Robbins of Hampton, VA.