Jessie “Scottie” Diers

Jessie “Scottie” Diers

Cedar Rapids

Jessie “Scottie” Diers, 95, of Cedar Rapids, passed away Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022. A visitation will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. Monday, Oct. 10, at the Cedar Memorial Park Chapel of Memories. A funeral service will immediately follow at 11 a.m. at the Cedar Memorial Park Chapel of Memories. Burial at the Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery.

Jessie (Dorward) Diers

was born on May 21, 1927, in

Brechin, Scotland, to Mary (Mollison) and Charles B. Dorward. At the age of three, Jessie and her mother sailed on the Caledonia across the Atlantic to reunite with her father, who had preceded them to Ellis Island the previous year. The flip of a coin had determined the family’s destination of the United States over Australia. She was united in marriage to Frederick E. Diers on Dec. 30, 1950. Jessie graduated from the St. Luke’s School of Nursing. She worked as an ICU and surgical nurse at St. Luke’s Hospital, and later as an administrator for Americana Healthcare Center in Cedar Rapids and Atrium Village in Hills, Iowa. She was an advocate for wildlife, animal rescue organizations and local shelters, and heavily involved in the Altrusa Women’s Charity Organization.

Jessie was an excellent seamstress and talented artist, who enjoyed painting, gardening and pedicures. She loved flowers and kept a cottage garden in her backyard.

Jessie is survived by her children, Jackie Westhoff of Shellsburg, Iowa, Mary (Ronald) Caviness of Peoria, Ariz., William (Connie McCalla) Diers of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Terry (Barry) Whitson of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; grandchildren, Michele (Dr. Tarun Arora) Westhoff of San Rafael, Calif., Scott (Hayley) Westhoff of Chicago, Ill., Kelly (Bryan) Hamilton of Roanoke, Va., Andrew Caviness of Chattanooga, Tenn., Lindsey (Andrew) Kepper of Northfield, Minn., and Charlie Diers of Iowa City, Iowa; great-grandchildren, Olivia and Lila Westhoff, Maddox and Caleb Hamilton, Winston Caviness, and Fischer and Harlow Kepper; niece, Diana Tellier; a large extended family in Scotland; and beloved dogs, Trixie and Flossie.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 49 years, Fred Diers; parents; sister, Jenetta; and canine companions, Sam, Sherman and Sasha.

Jessie’s family would like to thank the staff of St. Luke’s Hospice and the third floor of St. Luke’s Hospital. They would also like to thank Jessie’s neighborhood friends who were like a family to her.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Jessie’s honor to the Cedar Valley Human Society or to St. Luke’s Hospice.

Online condolences may be directed to the family at www.cedarmemorial.com under obituaries.