Jessie L. Skees, 95, of Elizabethtown, died Monday, July 10, 2017 at Hardin Memorial Hospital surrounded by loving family members. She was born in Oakland, Kentucky to John Wesley Monroe and Gladys Page Monroe and spent her childhood in Jackson, Tennessee before relocating to Hardin County and graduating from Elizabethtown High School. She and her husband Denis owned and operated two restaurants in downtown Elizabethtown in the 1940's and early 1950's, first the Village Kitchen and then the Dixie Cafe. Later they established the Ben Franklin store, also located downtown. In later years she worked at Joplin-Lanz department store and Da-Ga's dress shop. She was the past president of the American Legion Auxiliary Hardin Unit 113, held a lifetime membership for 69 years and was the oldest living member of the auxiliary. Her hobbies included bridge, bingo, and Tripoley. One fellow bridge player dubbed her the "Queen of Finesse," and she kept the rest of us on our toes when playing Tripoley. She inherited a culinary gene from her mother and sister and served innumerable delicious foods to her family and friends for many years. Preceding her in death were her husband of 63 years, R. Denis Skees; a sister, Pauline Ray; and a brother, Robert Monroe. Her Monroe ancestry includes ties to Clan Munro of Scotland, President James Monroe and early settlers in Barren County, Kentucky. She is survived by her children and their spouses, Teresa (Bill) Nusz of Louisville; Jim (Judy) Skees and Barbara (Rusty) Boone, all of Elizabethtown. Other survivors are her grandchildren Bobby Nusz (Clese Erikson), Andy (Jean) Nusz, Keith Nusz, Heather (Tim) Johnston, and Emily (Andrew) Ebelhar. Her great-grandchildren are Hayden Nusz, Dylan Nusz, Jack Nusz, Claire Nusz, Cecilia Ebelhar, Grace Ebelhar and Daniel Ebelhar. Visitation is from 2:30 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, July 16, at Brown Funeral Home in Elizabethtown with a prayer service at 5:30 p.m. Visitation continues after 9:30 a.m. on Monday, July 17, at the funeral home, followed by a funeral Mass at 11 a.m. at St. James Catholic Church and burial in the church cemetery. Expressions of sympathy may be made to the St. Vincent de Paul Society, c/o St. James Church, 307 West Dixie Ave., Elizabethtown, KY 42701. Condolences may be expressed online at www.brownfuneral.com.

Visitation:

Sunday, July 16, 2017 from 2:30 PM to 6:00 PM
Brown Funeral Home

Service:

Monday, July 17, 2017 starting at 11:00 AM
St. James Catholic Church