Janet Jensen Obituary (1929 – 2022) – Lincoln, NE

Janet Kepner Jensen

November 19, 1929 – May well 16, 2022

Earth traveler, audiology researcher, lover of puzzles, genealogist, existence-very long learner, wife, and mother of 3, died May possibly 16, 2022 in Lincoln.

Born in York County Medical center on November 19, 1929, Janet grew up in Osceola Nebraska, the daughter of William Raymond Kepner and Zella Olive Gillmor, and more mature sister to Bill Kepner. She graduated from Osceola Significant University in 1947, and went on to the College of Nebraska-Lincoln, where by she was a Regent’s Scholar. She mixed majors in Theater, French, and Speech & Hearing and was a member of Gamma Phi Beta sorority.

She initial achieved her spouse, Donald D. Jensen (d. 2003) at All Point out, when they ended up the two 16. They remet at UNL, and married August 15, 1951, just before their senior year in university. They designed the Lincoln newspaper that spring as the 1st married Phi Beta Kappas west of the Mississippi.

Don’s ROTC motivation took them to many Army bases just after graduation. In 1952, he was stationed in Lousy Kreuznach, Germany, and Janet insisted on joining him there, using her first transatlantic crossing on your own on the original Queen Mary. Before acquiring their daughter Joli Kathleen (born in 1954), they traveled with each other throughout Europe, which commenced her life span of environment vacation that ended in a transatlantic crossing on the Queen Mary II to celebrate her 90th birthday.

After the military, Jan and Don briefly moved again to Lincoln where by Don concluded a Masters degree in psychology at UNL, then moved to New Haven, Connecticut, where he concluded a PhD in psychology at Yale College. A postwar housing shortage meant that they (like other younger faculty families) lived in “Quonset hut” housing on the Yale polo grounds. They experienced their 2nd kid, Michael Jon, in 1959 in New Haven. They then moved to Groningen, The Netherlands, wherever Don did two decades of postdoctoral perform when Janet mastered plenty of Dutch to navigate raising two small children whilst he was accomplishing industry do the job every weekend on herring gull conduct.

Immediately after the Netherlands, they moved to Bloomington, Indiana, where by their third baby, David Donald, was born in 1963. Throughout their time in Bloomington, Don was a psychology professor and Janet was an energetic volunteer in a wide range of businesses, when arranging comprehensive household tenting trips all over Don’s exploration and tutorial conferences. In the mid-60s they lived in close proximity to Oslo, Norway, where the moment once again she navigated yet another language and society. In 1968, Don acknowledged a place in the UNL Psychology Division. They invested the rest of their lives in Lincoln.

One particular of the highlights of our childhood was a tenting journey at the rear of the Iron Curtain in the summer season of 1971. Jan used a year meticulously arranging a six-7 days loved ones trip in a VW camper van, starting in western Europe, via Japanese Europe, to Moscow then into Finland and by means of Scandinavia. This was in the course of the Cold War, and was a scarce more than enough journey that it was protected by the Lincoln Star on the family’s return.

When her small children ended up in school, she developed, implemented and led an ground breaking software at UNL to assistance Nebraska young children with a number of handicaps. At first referred to as UNICAP, the University of Nebraska Youngster Assessment Software introduced jointly experts in a range of childhood disabilities to evaluate and produce assistance for multiply-challenged little ones. This was amid the 1st packages of its form, and is now an accepted design for early childhood assessment.

With Don’s total guidance, she returned to graduate school at Indiana University, earning her Ph.D. in 1988 at the age of 58. Throughout this period, she executed audiology study at Boys Town Institute in Omaha. She ongoing her investigation vocation right up until her retirement. A journal post based mostly on her dissertation research has been cited above 70 situations, most lately in 2022.

Janet and Don had been energetic in city arranging as associates of the 48th Road Preservation Association, in the university neighborhood through company in Phi Beta Kappa and participation in Open Forum, and in the Unitarian Church. They inherited football tickets (from Janet’s father) on the 50-property line, and enjoyed sharing Cornhusker video games with spouse and children and pals. Janet was a 3rd generation PEO (Chapter K), a life span member of the Nebraska Speech and Listening to Association, and a happy Cunard Planet Club Diamond member, honoring 20+ ocean voyages.

After Don’s demise in 2003, Jan continued to vacation with family members, do genealogical investigation, study avidly, solve puzzles, consider classes, and explore the origin and purpose of stone circles throughout the entire world.

She was a amazing mother to her 3 little ones (and their spouses): Joli (Craig Walter) Michael (Susan Stephen) and David (Melba) Jensen. She was Grandjan to her 6 grandchildren: Hannah Spongberg, Nathan Spongberg (Holly Principe), Thor Jensen (Liz Marion), Anika Jensen, Charlie Walter and Tom Walter and to her five excellent-grandchildren: Chase, Noah and Maddox Spongberg, and Odin and Galen Jensen. For several a long time, the whole loved ones gathered (both equally in Osceola and Lincoln) to rejoice Christmas with her.

We thank the staff of James Home at Tabitha who helped our mother securely are living her closing many years in the midst of a pandemic. Although a sequence of compact strokes impacted her cognitive capabilities they did not diminish her intrepid spirit. She was an extremely intelligent and impartial girl who was ahead of her time, and produced the most of all her chances to understand new items. We are lucky to have experienced her for so extensive, and are grateful for her inspiring example.

An inurnment ceremony will be held in Osceola, with Dubas Funeral Residence dealing with the arrangements. A memorial provider will be held on August 13 at 2PM at the Unitarian Church in Lincoln. No bouquets make sure you. Contributions in her honor can be sent to: Osceola Public Library, PO Box 448, Osceola, NE 68651-0448.