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JESSON



Joseph William



Aged 94, of Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England, died peacefully surrounded by his Family on Saturday, March 6, 2011.

Joe was born September 22, 1916, in West Bromwich, England and after school worked as an apprentice Chemist.

He enjoyed riding motorcycles through the mountains and valleys of Wales especially from Bala to Lake Vyrnwy. Joe was converted at a revival in Birmingham led by George Jeffreys.

During WWII Joe served in the Royal Air Force in West Africa and after the war attended London Bible College. He then went to India as a missionary and ran a boys school orphanage and farm in Nasrapur. In Mahableshwa in language school Joe met and married Alma Georgina Coe from London who was serving in theLeprosy Mission after nursing through the Blitz during WWII in London. They had one surviving child, a Daughter Jennifer born in Poona in 1957.

A changed political climate in India forced them from the mission field in 1964 and they returned to Englandand settled in Llandudno in North Wales. Joe entered the Civil Service as a Customs and Excise Inspector, and Alma rejoined the National Health Service. Joe was promoted and moved to Shrewsbury in 1972 where he remained for the rest of his life.

Joe remained active in Christian Service taking Services on Sundays for area Pastors in the Free Church tradition and promoting missions. He was noted for his sermons and his wonderful singing voice.

He and Alma were active in forming a support group for victims of stroke. He and his Wife Alma worked for many years with Compass Braille translating the Bible into Marathi for the blind. He was active as Chaplain to the Gideon's after he gave up his Sunday duties of preaching. Joe and Alma were members of Claremont Baptist Church in Shrewsbury.

In his later years he also attended St Eata's Church, Atcham, where his Daughter was married in 1980.

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him... who preaches the gospel of peace. (Isa 52:7)Joe enjoyed gardening, was a gifted photographer and delighted in taking trips to the continent with his Family, especially Switzerland.

His Grandchildren whom he delighted to tease knew him as 'Nandad'. Joe was preceded in death by his Parents John William Jesson and Rose Anna Price Jesson of West Bromwich, his Brother John, two infant Sons Thomas and John. Joe is survived by his Wife of 56 years Alma Coe Jesson, a Daughter Jennifer Jesson (Carter) Paden III, four Grandchildren Joseph Jesson Paden, Anna Paden, Sarah Coe Paden, Carter Paden of Chattanooga, Sisters Paula Rhodes, Mary Summerhill, Elma Lloyd, Martha (Pat) Coley and Sheila Jesson of Llantwitt Major, Wales.

Funeral will be held on Friday, March 11, at 1.00pm at St. Peter's Episcopal Church, 848 Ashland Terrace, Tennessee, USA.

The Family will receive Friends beginning at noon.

A private Committal will follow at Forest Hills Cemetery. Memorial donations can be sent to:

The Nepal Leprosy Trust, 10A The Vineyard, Richmond, Surrey TW10 6AQ, England, United Kingdom or to The Gideon's International, Suite 3-4 Observer House, Holywell Street, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY2 5BD, England, United Kingdom.

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