Nancy Jenkins Obituary
Following a lifetime of kindness and cheer, Nancy Pauline Jenkins died peacefully at age 86 on March 3, 2022. She was surrounded by love from her family, friends, and her caregivers at River Terrace Memory Care in Oregon City, Oregon. With her customary spunk and positive attitude, Nancy navigated nearly a decade of dementia with grace and joy in life. In her final weeks, Nancy repeatedly assured family members and caregivers that “Everything is okay,” always accompanied with a thumbs up gesture. She loved (and was loved by) so many, and is surely smiling down on all of us today to brighten our day with her cheery smile.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Douglas Kendall “Kenny” Jenkins of Colville, Washington; her parents, Herb and Virginia Holman of San Luis Obispo, California; her sister Mary Anne (Bill) Kenney of Alameda, California; brother David (Barbra) Holman of Lodi, California; and grandson Craig Jenkins of Concord, California. She is survived by daughter Kathleen (Mark) Haynie of Oregon City, Oregon and son Maury (Linda) Jenkins of Gulf Breeze, Florida; 12 grandchildren, and 48 great-grandchildren.
She attained a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education at age 36, and taught fourth grade at Tunnell School, in Santa Maria, for 23 years. During retirement in Colville, Washington, she and Kenny pursued a second career in real estate as agents with Century 21 Kelly Davis Realty, where they delighted in helping new residents find their homes in the beautiful “4-season” climate of northern Washington. After Kenny’s death, Nancy relocated to Oregon City, Oregon to be near daughter Kathy. As her health permitted, she enthusiastically participated in daily water aerobics classes, family hikes and campouts, family trips, and singing in the church choir in the Oregon City 2nd and 4th wards of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, where she was a member.
Her memorial service will be held at 12:00 noon on Saturday, April 9, 2022 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 15344 S. Henrici Road, Oregon City, Oregon, 97045. The service may be attended in person or via Zoom; please email daughter Kathy Haynie at haynieoregon@gmail.com if you would like the Zoom link.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that remembrances may be made to www.donorschoose.org, which funds classroom projects for creative and passionate classroom teachers.
