Jeanine Anne (Davis) Stritzke

Jeanine Anne (Davis) Stritzke, 75, of Fairbury, Nebraska passed away on Saturday April 6th at Brookestone Acres in Columbus, Nebraska. Jeanine was born on October 8, 1948, in Lafayette, Indiana. Her parents, Chester Paul Davis Jr and Clara Irene (Hotchkiss) Davis. They were in graduate school at Purdue University at the time. They later moved to Manhattan, Kansas where her father was part of the Agriculture Engineering Department at Kansas State University. Her siblings include Gary Brian Davis, Lavonne Jane Davis Beadle, and Mark Allen Davis. She was confirmed at the First United Methodist Church in Manhattan,KS. Jeanine attended both Theodore Roosevelt and Lee Elementary School in Manhattan and graduated from Manhattan High School in 1966. While growing up in Manhattan, Jeanine was actively involved in many activities including Girl Scouts, 4-H, and music. While attending school, Jeanine formed lifelong friendships and particularly kept in close contact with her three best friends from college, affectionately called her “Kanas City Friends” because they met every year in Kansas City for a girl’s weekend reunion. Through school and 4-H Jeanine perfected her favorite pastime and hobby, sewing, a skill that she enjoyed for the rest of her life. After graduation from high school Jeanine attended Kansas State University from 1966 to 1970. She graduated in Home Economics Education. She then enrolled in graduate school at Kansas State and majored in Clothing and Textiles. As a graduate research assistant, she did textile research for the United States Air Force and received her master’s degree in 1972. As a 4-H state clothing winner, she attended 4-H Club Congress in Chicago, where she met her future husband, Bob, who was also a Kansas Club Congress delegate for Poultry Science. They both finished their degrees at Kansas State University and were married on May 31, 1970, at the First United Methodist Church in Manhattan Kansas. To this union, two children were born: Scott Paul, and Michelle Lynn Stritzke. Family time was spent attending school and sporting events, scouting, 4-H and family trips. Bob and Jeanine moved from Abilene, Kansas to Fairbury Nebraska in 1975 where Bob became the County Extension Agent for Jefferson County. Jeanine taught Home Economics and English at Chapman Jr. High School in Chapman, Kansas and Home Economics at Fairbury High School in Fairbury, Nebraska. Jeanine eventually returned to teaching when she obtained a Library/Media endorsement from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. She served as the Elementary Library Media Specialist in Fairbury where she took great joy in helping to instill her love of reading to many young students. Jeanine enjoyed her coffee group whenever she could. Those couples became her traveling friends as well as her extended Fairbury family. After retiring, Jeanine had time to begin to sew and quilt again and she and Bob enjoyed traveling, camping, and hiking. They enjoyed trips to places like the Grand Canyon, Canada, Florida, Lake Superior, many National Parks and even took their fifth wheel camper to The Artic Circle. She was an active member of the Fairbury United Methodist Church, where she served many roles over the years. She also was a member and officer of her local PEO Women’s Group, Alpha Delta Kappa Sorority and Rock Creek Quilt Guild. By far the greatest joy in her life became her five grandchildren Owen, Laura, Meredith, Hadley and Andrew Bargen of Columbus, Nebraska. She took great pride in supporting all of their endeavors. Not only was she their biggest fan, she was also their best friend. She was their trusted confidant with all their thoughts and concerns while always providing them with unconditional love. She provided them with so much of her precious time. Their adventures together supplied endless memories and lessons that will not be forgotten. Jeanine is survived by her husband Robert Dean of Fairbury, NE, Her son Scott Stritzke (Shelby) of Urbandale, Iowa and daughter Michelle(Jeff) Bargen of Columbus, NE. She is also survived by sister Lavonne (Keith) Beadle of Wichita, Kansas, Brother Mark Davis of Manhattan, Kansas. Also surviving are her sisters in laws, Carolyn Green of Cherryvale, KS and Alene Hamilton of Cape Girardeau, MO. Also surviving are cousins, Svea Breckburg of Kapolei Hawaii, Rob Breckburg (Teri) of Kodiak, Alaska, and Bonnie Noreen (David) of Newman Lake, Washington. Jeanine was preceded in death by her brother Gary Davis of St. Louis Missouri. Also surviving are her many nieces and nephews. Services will be Saturday, April 20, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. at the Methodist Church in Fairbury. The family will greet friends on Friday evening from 5 – 7 at the funeral home. The Stritzke Family requests any memorials to be sent to the Fairbury Public Library Children’s Department to support children’s summer reading programs. The Fairbury Public Library address is 601 7th Street, Fairbury, NE 68352. Gerdes-Meyer Funeral Home is assisting with arrangements. www.gerdesmeyerfh.com

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