Obit: Oncken, Jennette (Jan) E. (1933 - 2015)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Oncken, Niffenegger, Crane, Curet, Riskey

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 2/11/2015

Oncken, Jennette (Jan) E. 29 January 1933 - 5 February 2015)

Jennette (Jan) E. Oncken, 82, of Sun prairie was given the gift of life Jan. 29, 1933, in Monroe, and returned Feb. 5, 2015, with her family by her side. She lived with determination and strength, a sense of style and purpose not often seen.

Jan was the daughter of Ray and Bernice (Niffenegger) Crane and sister of the late Ray Jr. She graduated from Monroe High School and the UW-Madison with a home economics and education degree and taught home economics at Waupun and Belleville high schools.

She married John F. Oncken of Stoughton and together they raised three children, Lynne, Laurel and John, while living in Neillsville, De Pere and Sun Prairie. She then returned to school and gained a Master’s degree in special education at Cardinal Stritch University and taught early childhood in the Sun Prairie Schools.

In addition to her compassionate and challenging career working with young children, Jan was a talented artist, quilter, seamstress, decorator and above all, wife, mother and grandmother.

She could handle a rotary saw to remodel the basement, refinish furniture giving it new life, sew the many stylish clothes her children wore growing up along with all of the doll clothes, and go back to school later in life touching so many students’ lives. She did it all.

Jan was besieged by health limitations later in life but always made the best of it. She knew her time was limited but insisted she was going out smiling. We know she’s at peace now and will live forever in our hearts.

She leaves her husband, John; son, John C. (Joan), Grand Forks, ND; daughters, Lynne Oncken, Fresno, CA, and Laurel Oncken Curet, Costa Mesa, CA; grandsons, Trace and Cameron Curet, Costa Mesa, and Joe Oncken, Grand Forks; granddaughters, Megan Oncken Riskey (Brock), Fargo, ND, and Nicole Oncken, Grand Forks; and beloved cat, Sofi.

Jan’s life will be celebrated Saturday, Feb. 14, 2015. Visitation begins at 9 a.m. with the service at 11 a.m. at Bethel Lutheran Church, 312 Wisconsin Avenue Madison, WI 53703 (608-257-3577). A family burial will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, Memorials may be made to UW-Foundation PLATO Fund (www.Plato.wildapricot.org)  in Jan’s name.

The Tuschen-Newcomer Funeral Home, Sun prairie (608-837-5400), www.newcomerfh.com  assisted Jan’s family with arrangements.