Lester L. Jessepe

Lester L. Jessepe "Kee-wah-kuk"

Mr. Jessepe passed away January 9, 2007 at his home in Topeka, Kansas. He was born September 5th, 1928 to Katherine Gabby and Honnell Jessepe on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Reservation adjacent to Mayetta, Kansas.

He married Beulah Cooper in Holton, KS, on Oct. 12, 1951. She preceded him in death on Sept. 10, 1988. Other survivors are: Clifford Jessepe, Bruce Jessepe, Leslie Jessepe, Evon Jessepe and Grace Jessepe all from Topeka, Kansas. He has 3 grandchildren Adam Jessepe, Lenora Kreipe, Emily Kreipe and 4 great grandchildren.

Mr. Jessepe served in the United States Navy during the Korean conflict. His religious upbringing was within the Potawatomi Drum Religion, the Native American Church and the Catholic Church.

Mr. Jessepe worked at the United States Postal Service and retired from Federal Civil Service with 25 years of service. He then worked at the V.A. Hospital in Topeka then transferred to Stormont Vail Hospital from which he retired again after 15 years of service.

Mr. Jessepe was the Chairman of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation during the late 1960's and the early 1970's during a period of time when the Tribe was going through very turbulent political unrest. During this period of time Mr. Jessepe worked diligently and unselfishly to reaffirm the Tribal Governments status as a federally recognized Indian Tribe by obtaining Federal recognition of the Tribes Constitutional authority to be a viable self governing entity. He was a staunch activist of Native American Rights and in the struggles of Native American People. He supported the "1973 occupation of Wounded Knee, South Dakota."

In 1980, Mr. Jessepe along with a delegation of other Americans traveled to Tehran, Iran to negotiate the release of the American hostages being held there during the 1979 American Hostage Crisis. Mr. Jessepe traveled there willing to offer himself and his own personal freedom in exchange for the freedom of the American Hostages.

Mr. Jessepe loved all people and loved and enjoyed life. No one was a stranger to him in his eyes. His family and friends all loved him dearly, respected and admired him greatly. We that knew him learned much from him, his goodness will live on and be an example by which we would desire to fashion our own lives.

Wake services will be Saturday evening, beginning 5:00 PM on January the 13th at the Potawatomi Dance Grounds, 6 ½ miles west of Highway 75 on 150th Road. Funeral services will be at 10:00 AM, Mon., Jan. 15, 2007, at Penwell-Gabel Parker-Price Chapel. American Legion Post # 410, We-Te-Se of Mayetta will conduct military honors at Mount Hope Cemetery, Topeka.

Mr. Jessepe will lie in state after 1:00 PM Sunday at the funeral chapel where the family will receive friends from 4:00 to 6:00 PM. Memorial contributions may be made to the Lester L. Jessepe Memorial Fund c/o Penwell-Gabel Parker-Price Chapel, 245 NW Independence, Topeka, KS 66608-1809. To leave a special message for the family online, visit www.PenwellGabel.com.