Jessie Goddard
Jessie Gray Breiland Goddard was born Dec. 19, 1913, in Bremerton, Wash., to Christian Carlos Breiland and Josie Amanda Gray Breiland.
She married Cephas J. Goddard on Aug. 17, 1942. In the summer of 1948, Ceph and Jessie moved from Seattle to the family ranch 12 miles east of Watford City, where they lived until Ceph’s death in 1997.
Jessie earned her Master’s degree from NDSU and taught at the Mandaree High School, Fortuna School, the UND-Williston Center and at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks.
She was the McKenzie County Superintendent of Schools for many years. Jessie moved to the Venture Out Mobile Home Park in Mesa in the fall of 1997, where she lived a busy and active life for the next 15 years. She moved to The Citadel Assisted Living Center in Mesa at the age of 98½, and passed away at her apartment there on Dec. 28, 2013 at the age of 100.
Jessie was preceded in death by her husband, Ceph; and her grandson, Aaron. She is survived by three sons; Skip (Carol) of Tucson, Ariz., Jeff (Jeanne) of Rhame, N.D., and Dave of York Valley, Ariz.
She is also survived by six grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. After 100 years on this earth, Jessie has said, “I have outlived my body, but it is well with my soul.” Wayne B. Warnke