Jean Ascolese passed away at home surrounded by her family on June 10, 2022, in Cincinnati, Ohio. She was born on April 27, 1923, on the family farm in Hancock County outside of Forest City, Iowa.
Jean graduated from Forest City High school in May of 1941 and continued her educationat St. Joseph College of Nursing in Sioux City, Iowa. She graduated from St Joseph’s in September of 1944 and after hearing a speech made by President Rooseveltregarding the need for nurses she enlisted in the Army. She was commissioned an officer in the US Army Nurse Corps in April of 1945 and was assigned to O’Reilly General Army Hospital in Springfield Missouri. While serving as a nurse anesthetist she met the love of her life Michael Ascolese, a young-enlisted man from Boston. Jean and Mike were married on April 7,1947in Newton, Massachusetts. They moved to Louisville, Kentucky in September of 1948 with their oldest son Timmy. During their 22 years in Louisville, they had four more sons and a daughter before moving to Cincinnati, Ohio.Jean worked as a nurse throughout her life helping set up and run the first coronary care unit at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Louisville and volunteering in the recovery room at Providence Hospital in Cincinnati for many years.She was also an associate of the Sisters of St. Francis at Oldenburg Academy in Indiana for over 20 years. Jean was very active in all the parishes the family attended over the years from the Altar Society to delivering communion to the sick and much more. Hers was a life of giving.Jean is survived by Mike, her beloved husband of 75 years ,six children, ten grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.There will be a funeral mass on July 8, 2022, St. Bartholomew Parish 9375 Winton Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45231 at 11:00-AM.Jean’s cremains will be interred in Forest City Iowa.