Jeanette Gies' Obituary
Jeanette was born on June 14, 1929, to Herman E. and Martha M. Schmaltz nee Fichtner
in Benton Harbor, Michigan. She was baptized at St. Matthew's Lutheran Church on
July 7, 1929. She was confirmed at St. Matthew's on April 25, 1943, after attending St
Matthew's Lutheran Parochial School during the seventh and eighth grades.
She graduated from Benton Harbor High School in 1947 receiving the National Honor
Society award in her Junior year. She then graduated from Evanston Hospital School of
Nursing in Evanston, Illinois and was married to Robert Vernon Dewart at St. Matthew's
The ceremony was based on the words from Joshua 24:15-"As for me and my house
we will serve the Lord" and closed with the beautiful words from Ruth - "Whither thou
goest ----". Bob, Sergeant in the Army Air Force during WWII graduated from Iowa Wesleyan College. He was a member of Blue Key and Phi Delta Theta. They were members of St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Ft. Wayne, IN. Their marriage was a particularly happy union of 29 1/2 years and was blessed with a daughter, Martha Jane.
Martha Jane brought pleasure to them just by being a loving child of God. She was the
shining star that reflected God's glory and gift to them. Bob entered God's kingdom on
May 4, 1981, and waits for the resurrection in the church cemetery.
At a time when females were not the usual in Police Depts, and after working in the
nursing field for many years, she joined the Allen County Police Department in Ft.
Wayne, IN. to start and maintain a medical program for the inmates. She also formed the
beginning of an inmate work release program. She loved this work and received many
awards, certificates, commendations and a specially prized Life Savers Award. She
graduated first scholastically in the 32nd class of the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy
at Indiana University in Bloomington, IN and held an instructor's certificate. She was the
first female officer in the department to be promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. She
received a commendation when she wrote the Standard Operating Procedures used for the
new jail when the transfer was made from the old jail in March 1981.
God truly blessed Jeanette with two honorable and God-fearing husbands both of whom
treated her with loyalty, love, honor and devotion. She and James Joseph Gies were
married in 1982. He was born and reared in Charleston, W. Va and had served in the
Army Air Force in WWIl. The Dewart and Gies families had been close friends since the
early 1900's and had lived as neighbors in Alexandria, IN and Charleston W. Va
Jeanette and Joe had not met until the marriage of Martha Jane to Terry E. Powell. Joe
and Jeanette enjoyed a 16-year marriage despite Joe's chronic illness. They moved from
Ft. Wayne to Naples in 1988 and Jeanette became a member of Grace Lutheran Church
to Joe went to his eternal glory on Feb. 23, 1998.
Jeanette's family has entrusted Fort Myers Memorial Garden with the care of her final arrangements. There will be a memorial service held on Monday, July 3, 2023, at Grace Lutheran Church 860 Banyan Blvd, Naples, FL 34102. Visitation hours will be 9:30AM-11AM and a service to 11AM with a lunch to follow.
There will be a live stream available on YouTube of her service. You will be able to find it by searching Grace Lutheran Church Live or searching Jeanette Gies Funeral Service.
On behalf of Jeanette's family please make donations to Grace Lutheran Church Preschool 800 Banyon Blvd. Naples, FL 34102.
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