Jackie Nesset

October 21, 1943 - January 3, 2024

Jacquelyn Margaret Nesset Manatt

  AMES - Jackie Manatt, 80, died Wednesday, January 3, at Northridge Village in Ames of complications due to Parkinson’s Disease.

    She was born October 21, 1943, in Forest City, Iowa, to Jared Paul Nesset and Margaret Minnie (Arthur) Nesset.  When Jackie was two months old she, her mother, and grandmother rode the train to Oakland, California, where her father was stationed during WWII.  She was baptized by a navy chaplain.
    She lived in Forest City for her early elementary school days then moved to Marshalltown in 5th grade and graduated from Marshalltown High School in 1961.  She received her B.S. in English from Iowa State University in 1965, and her M.S. in Education from ISU in 1970.
     On February 25, 1970 she married Richard Price Manatt. They had one daughter, Megan Sue.
    Jackie taught English at Marshalltown High School and worked as a technical editor and coordinated the Science Bound program, both at Iowa State University.
    She was a member of Collegiate United Methodist Church where she taught junior high Sunday school for 30 years. She was an active member of the League of Women Voters, serving on the board in a number of different capacities including president of the Ames League and the Iowa League.  She was also a member of P.E.O. chapter HN.  She was a docent for the Art on Campus program at Iowa State.
    She spent many years as a community volunteer, including serving 19 years on city/county boards and commissions. Along with Ted Tedesco she co-chaired the successful effort to turn the former Central Junior High building into the Ames City Hall in 1988.
   She received the Carrie Chapman Catt Award from the League of Women Voters of Ames and the Women Who Contribute to Social and Political Change Award by the Story County Women’s Political Caucus.

    Jackie and Dick had many opportunities to travel, and she visited 46 counties.  For personal enrichment she took classes through adult education in photography, parliamentary procedure, tailoring, accounting, and volunteer management.
   Jackie was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Mike, her husband, and his son Joel.  She is survived by her daughter Megan (Ryan) Lordos, and three grandchildren, Olivia London Lordos, Canela-Jayne Marleny Lordos, and Zavier Price Lordos. She is also survived by two of Dick’s children, Tamra Jo Manatt Nathan, Ann Lea Manatt, and one grandson, Bryan Carl Nathan.