Jesperson visiting area Kiwanis Clubs

By submitted, 08/14/17 1:03 PM

PRESCOTT -Missouri-Arkansas Kiwanis District Governor Roger Jespersen will visit Division 23 on Tuesday, August 15. Division 23 is made up of six Kiwanis clubs: El Dorado, Camden, Prescott, Hope, Texarkana and Foreman.

Hyacinth Deon from the Prescott Club is serving as Lieutenant Governor and Earl Thomas of the El Dorado Club is the Region Trustee. Members from all six clubs are invited to join President Bill Barham and the Hope Kiwanis Club as they serve as the host for this event to held Tuesday, August 15 during their regular noon meeting at Amigo Juan’s Meeting Hall, 1300 N. Hervey St.

Jespersen grew up on a farm near Dickey, ND, and graduated from Dickey High School in 1959.  After serving for 39 months in the US Army Finance Corps mostly at Bussac, France, he enrolled at Dakota Wesleyan University majoring in history and political science graduating in 1965.  He graduated from Saint Paul School of Theology, Methodist in Kansas City with a Master of Divinity, received a Master’s degree in Human Resources Management from Northeast Missouri State U (Now Truman) and a Certificate in Gerontology from the University of Missouri–St. Louis (UMSL).

Jespersen has been a pastor since 1964 serving churches in South and North Dakota, Maryland, and Missouri.  For 25 years he was a Campus Minister serving in Kirksville and St. Louis.  He retired on May 1, 2016.

Jespersen joined the Kiwanis family as a member of Circle K at Dakota Wesleyan University from 1963-65 and then joined the Charleston, MO, Kiwanis club when he was appointed pastor of Charleston United Methodist Church in 2003.  He served as president of the club and later became Lt. Gov. of Division 14, Trustee of Region V, and District Chair for the Kiwanis International Foundation.  He was elected Gov. Elect of the MO-ARK District in 2015 and Governor in 2016.

Jespersen has been married to Susan Duff Jespersen for 25 years. They are a blended family of Dane(Anne) and Jon (Stacy) Jespersen and Ross Duff (Mary) and Joy Duff Schulz (Dave).  Their grandchildren are Samantha, Nick, Kate, Madison, David and Michael Jespersen and their first great grandchild.

Gov. Jespersen has volunteered as a CLAIM agent helping seniors with Medicare issues, was on the Board of Directors of Visiting Nurses Association, Susanna Wesley Family Services, Mississippi County Caring Communities, Charleston Food Pantry, and has given blood and platelets for at least 50 years.  While campus minister at UMSL he served on the UMSL’s Human Subjects Research Committee.  He currently tutors reading with kindergartners and first graders at Orchard Elementary School in Jackson.

Governor Jespersen loves to spend time with family, volunteer with children, play bridge, run in 5ks, participate in sports, read and travel.