Kathleen Geraldine (Schensky) Jenks
Kathleen Geraldine (Schensky) Jenks
Kathleen G. Jenks, age 94, of Janesville, passed away on Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022, at Milton Senior Living. Kathy was born and raised in Vilas, now known as Cottage Grove, Wis., on March 23, 1928; the daughter of Otto and Mae (Genske) Schensky. The second-born of four children, Kathy adored spending time with her grandparents. One day she met a mysterious man at a dance who thought it was funny to give her a made-up name. When she discovered his real name, she married him anyway! She and Russell Jenks married in 1948 at Emanuel Lutheran Church, in Hope, Wis.. Married for over 70 years, they had two children, John and Linda. Kathy adored her new in-laws, Ralph and Myrtle, and new sister and brother-in-law, Marion and Alex. They loved spending time with them at the farm.
A master entertainer, Kathy hosted family events for decades and fit in extensive plans for cooking, decorating, and games around her full-time job as an accountant. She worked in JATCO’s office for several years, retired from there, and picked up a new job at Mulrooney Moving and Storage. When it wasn’t time to prepare for a holiday, she could be found helping at church events. She loved following the Brewers and Packers and music and dancing. Whenever she could, she liked to spend time with family, particularly with her brothers (Dan and Al Schensky) and their families and especially when she could get a table together to play Euchre or Scrabble. Her retirement hobbies included uncovering family mysteries in genealogy and using her computer for accounting and managing her recipes, pictures, and documenting her genealogical findings. She completed two books on family genealogy. In addition to spending most of her married life in Janesville, she and Red spent over twenty years in Tomahawk during their retirement.
Kathy is survived by her children, John (Carol) Jenks and Linda (John) Cottier; and foreign exchange children, Gillian Freestone Ward and Connie Jespersen; grandchildren, Nicole (Lily) May, Trisha (Steve) Mauritz and Melody and Anna Cottier; great grandchildren, Sebastian May and Olivia Mauritz; siblings in-law, Nancy Schensky and Robert (Bette) Jenks; cousins, nieces, nephews and many extended family members.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Otto Schensky and Mae Genske Schensky Leger; husband, Russell (Red) Jenks; siblings and in-laws, Gladys Vallance, Daniel Schensky, Albert (Joyce) Schensky, Roland (Elaine) Jenks and Marion (Alex) D’Angelo; and one great grandson, Edward R. Jenks
A memorial service was held at 11 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 19, 2022, at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, 1422 Center Avenue, Janesville, Wis.; with visitation from 9:30 a.m. until time of service. Schneider Funeral Home & Crematory is assisting her family. For online condolences and guestbook, please visit www.schneiderfuneraldirectors.com.