Janet K (Kepner) Jensen

Janet Kepner Jensen 

World traveler, audiology researcher, lover of puzzles, genealogist, life-long learner, wife, and mother of three, died May 16, 2022 in Lincoln.

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

With her husband Donald D. Jensen (d. 2003), she lived in Germany, New Haven CT, The Netherlands, Bloomington IN, and Norway. They moved to Lincoln in 1970, where she was active in PEO (Chapter K) and a number of civic and academic organizations. She frequently shared with friends and family the two 50-yard-line Cornhusker football tickets that she inherited from her parents.  She received a PhD from Indiana University in 1988, and worked both at UNL and at Boys Town Institute in audiology research.

After Don’s death, Jan continued to travel with family, do genealogical research, read avidly, solve puzzles, take classes, and explore the origin and purpose of stone circles throughout the world.  She was a wonderful mother to her three children (and their spouses): Joli (Craig Walter); Michael (Susan Stephen) and David (Melba) Jensen.  She was Grandjan to her six grandchildren: Hannah Spongberg, Nathan Spongberg (Holly Principe), Thor Jensen (Liz Marion), Anika Jensen, Charlie Walter and Tom Walter and to her five great grandchildren: Chase, Noah and Maddox Spongberg, and Odin and Galen Jensen.  

After her parents’ death, she kept her childhood home in Osceola, where she hosted annual Christmas celebrations, and several reunion gatherings for her OHS Class of 1947. Dubas Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. A memorial service will be held on August 13 at 2PM at the Unitarian Church in Lincoln.

No flowers please. Contributions in her honor can be sent to: Osceola Public Library, PO Box 448, Osceola, NE 68651-0448.

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