Iva Burnes Nitzsche

Iva Jewell Burns Nitzsche passed away on December 2, 2023, in Golden, Colorado.  Jewell, born in Blooming Grove, Texas, on April 24, 1930, was the second of nine children born to Elijah and Estelle Hickey Burns.  She married Val Gene Nitzsche in 1947 and they spent 62 years together before he passed in 2010. In 1956 Val and Jewell moved to Bowie, Arizona, where they raised their two children and operated the Gateway Grocery.  She and Val later lived in Kingman, Arizona, where she was employed by Kingman Regional Medical Center. In 1996 they retired in Payson, Arizona. Jewell’s final home was in Colorado.

Jewell made every place she lived better by being a volunteer/leader in many clubs and organizations.  She was most proud of her decades-long membership in Beta Sigma Phi sorority.  She was a talented seamstress and quilter. Jewell always had a sweet smile on her face and a kind word for others. She was blessed with many cherished friendships.  Her greatest joy in life was spending time with family.

Jewell leaves behind a son Val Jr. (Monica) of Payson, Arizona, and daughter Nancy (Michael) McCarty of Golden, Colorado. She is survived by grandchildren Tauna (Scott) Moody of Payson, Christopher McCarty of Colorado, Cara (Ben) Pool of Denver, Colorado, and 8 great-grandchildren: Cade and Tya DeSpain, Michael Moody, Haydn and Arick Nitzsche, Timothy and Patrick McCarty and Elijah Pool.   She is also survived by sisters Jarvis Admire and Sarah Wright of Texas.  She was predeceased by her parents, husband (Val), grandson Brandt Nitzsche, and siblings Marie Hastings, Jean Ellis, Janie Armstrong, Cathe Aaron, and Sonny and Tommy Burns. She was loved and will be missed by her many nieces and nephews as well.