Jewel Viviette (Hong) Sigaty
Jewel Viviette (Hong) Sigaty was born January 20, 1932, in Webster, South Dakota to Gunlek B. and Lila M. Hong. She was baptized in Roslyn Lutheran Church and was a lifelong Lutheran. Jewel graduated from Roslyn High School and Minneapolis School of Business. She worked at Pillsbury Mills in Minneapolis until her marriage to Marlin Sigaty on Nov. 10, 1951. She entered into the presence of her Lord on October 14, 2013. Memorial services will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, November 1, 2013 at Bethel Lutheran Church, 4925 Farmingdale Drive, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80917.
She moved many times due to Marlin’s career in the Air Force. These moves included California, Wisconsin, Hawaii, North Dakota and South Dakota. She always was a member of a Lutheran church and an active participant in choir, women’s groups and a teacher in Sunday School. While in Hawaii, Jewel was a charter member of Christ the King Lutheran Church and spent many hours helping in the make-shift kitchen while the men built the church. In North Dakota she worked as the parish worker and secretary in a mission church in addition to volunteering in many activities as a member.
She retired in 1986 after working for many years at Loma Linda Medical Center in Loma Linda, California, where she was administrative secretary to the Director of Pediatric Cardiology. While in that position she had the privilege of serving as the president of the Seventh-day Adventist Professional Secretaries organization.
Jewel moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado, following her retirement in 1986 where she was a member of Ascension Lutheran Church for ten years. While there she served as the chairperson of the evangelism committee for four years. In 1998 she and Marlin became members of Bethel Lutheran Church. They traveled to Germany and Norway with church travel groups. For many years Jewel had a greeting card ministry and she enjoyed attending Bible studies at Bethel.
During her twenty years as a military wife, Jewel was devoted to her family and activities in her church and community. She especially enjoyed crocheting afghans for her family and friends and baking pies. She will be greatly missed by her family and friends. She was a model of faith and strength throughout her long illness.
Jewel is survived by her husband Marlin of nearly 62 years and daughter Joy (Greg) Brandvold of Colorado Springs, Colorado, son John Sigaty of Redlands, California, son Todd (Ines) Sigaty of Aurora, Colorado, five grandchildren, Carl (Candice) Brandvold, Dustin Sigaty, David Sigaty, Kimberly Sigaty, Lauren Sigaty and brothers Ben Hong, of Richardson, Texas, and Ray (Marg) Hong, of Minnetonka, Minnesota.
She was preceded in death by her brother Percy Hong, and her sister Luella Holden.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Bethel Lutheran Church Senior Ministries or to the Bethel Choir. Psalm 118:14: “The Lord is my strength and my might; He has become my salvation.”