Donna J. Jauken

A Celebration of the Life of Donna J. Jauken will be held on Saturday, June 30, 2018 at 10:30 a.m. at the Trinity Evangelical Free Church in Holdrege, Nebraska with Pastor Paul Bauman officiating.  Interment will be held in the Prairie Home Cemetery in Holdrege following the services.

Donna June Jauken, age 87 of Holdrege, passed away on Sunday, June 24, 2018 at the Kearney Regional Medical Center in Kearney, Nebraska.  Donna was born November 23, 1930 on the farm homestead of her grandfather, George Quinn, near Naponee, Nebraska in Franklin County.  She was the third of nine children born to H. Glen and Margaret E. (Quinn) Arehart.  They lived on the family farm south of the Republican River between Alma and Orleans.  In 1943, the family moved to a farm that her parents purchased in northwestern Phelps County, near Bertrand.  She attended elementary schools in Naponee and Alma, and later graduated from Mascot High School in May 1947.  After graduating from high school, Donna began attending Kearney State College, and started her life-long passion of teaching.  Donna's teaching career extended over 36 years in Phelps County.   She started teaching at District 65 in Rock Falls Township, and later District 52 in Williamsburg Township, District R-3, Funk Public School, and the last 27 years at the R-7 School District.

On July 16, 1950, Donna was united in marriage to Royie Clifford Jauken and they had two sons:  Randall Glen and Rodney Keith.  The family made their home on a farm north of Loomis, Nebraska, until moving to a farm north of Funk, Nebraska in 1963.  Donna suspended her teaching career to raise the two boys and to help Royie with the farming operation. When Rodney entered the 1 ^st grade, Donna returned to teaching and continued taking Summer School classes at Kearney State College.    She eventually earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education in 1972.  She later began the graduate program in Special Education at the College but never completed the Masters Program there.  Donna formally retired from teaching in May, 1996.  However, Donna continued to privately tutor students who were seeking their General Equivalency Diplomas or those needing help with their studies.  Donna and Royie moved into Holdrege in 1988; and on November 4, 1999, she was preceded in death by her husband, Royie.

Donna was always faithful to the Lord, and throughout the years the family attended the Westmark Evangelical Free Church north of Loomis, the Holcomb Evangelical Free Church north of Holdrege, and the Trinity Evangelical Free Church.  She taught Vacation Bible School, and enjoyed various activities with the Women's Ministries at church.  Donna always had a special place in her heart for little children, loved attending to her flower garden, and always looked forward to spending time with her family, especially her granddaughter, Claire who was her little Sunshine.

In addition to her husband, Royie, and parents: Glen and Margaret Arehart; she was preceded in death by brothers: Eldon Arehart in infancy, Dean Arehart and his wife, Rosalie, and Robert Arehart; sisters: Marie Wissmann and her husband, Ervin and infant sister, Margaret Ann Arehart; brother-in-law, Edward Ray Smith; and a host of brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law of the Jauken family.

Donna leaves to celebrate her life; her two sons:  Randy Jauken and his wife, Margaret of Omaha; and Rod Jauken of Funk; her granddaughter, Claire Elizabeth Jauken of Omaha; two sisters:  Darlene Smith of Lawton, Oklahoma; and Linda Hutcheson and her husband, Herb of Lincoln, Nebraska; one brother, Larry Arehart and his wife, Kathy of Lincoln; brothers-in-law:  Maynard Falk of Holdrege, Lee Jauken and his wife, LaJean of Holdrege, Darol Anderson of Georgetown, Delaware; sisters-in-law: Anita Jauken of Lacey, Washington, Jana Arehart of Friend, Nebraska, Eunice Jauken of Ft. Collins, Colorado; and many nieces and nephews, other relatives and friends. She also leaves a legacy of the many students she taught who were so special to her.

Visitation will be held on Friday, June 29, 2018 from 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. with the family greeting from 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege.

A memorial has been established in Donna's honor to either the Trinity Evangelical Free Church in Holdrege, or the Alzheimer's Association.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements.