Jennifer Leigh (Jacobs) Petersen was born Jan. 17, 1968, to John and Sharon (Dado) Jacobs at the Fillmore County Hospital in Geneva. She passed away Jan. 9, 2025, at the St. Elizabeth Hospital in Lincoln at the age of 56 years, 11 months and 8 days.
Jennifer’s life began with a severe health issue, and at the age of 8 months, was taken to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, where she spent 2 1/2 weeks in the hospital. After returning to Lincoln, where the family lived, Jenny started slowly recovering.
In 1970, when her parents moved to Ohiowa, Jennifer welcomed her new sister, Julie, and a lifelong friendship began. Life was special for two little girls living in a small town and it wasn’t unusual to find the sisters making new friends around town.
Jennifer attended grade school through the eighth grade at Ohiowa Public School and finished her education at Geneva High School in Geneva, where she graduated in 1986. During her final years at Geneva High, she started her career in health care through a high school program working at Heritage Crossings Nursing Home in Geneva.
After graduation, she moved to Hebron, where she was employed at the Blue Valley Nursing Home. It was there she met her future husband, Jon Petersen, who also lived in Hebron and worked for his father’s company. Resulting from a job transfer with Jon’s work, the family moved to their life-long home in Friend, and Jennifer continued her work in health care at Heritage Crossings Nursing Home in Geneva.
Two children were born to this union, Andrew Michael and Ashleigh Nicole. Jennifer enjoyed attending many of the school functions with both Andrew and Ashleigh and in 1997, the family moved into a new home in Friend.
Seeing that her Grandmother Jacobs needed help and care on the farm near Ohiowa, Jennifer eagerly came to her aid and spent five years assisting her until her grandmother needed to enter into a nursing home. While working there, she also helped her dad with field work and she especially liked moving hay bales. Jenny finished her career helping others working for an in-home health care company.
Jennifer was an animal lover, that affection may have been instilled in her life by Grandma Jacobs. Jenny’s favorite and loyal companion was Odie, her little Jack Russel. He was so special and a true friend and companion.
The greatest joy for Jennifer came when Ashleigh gave birth to her granddaughter, Nova Reign, who was born Sept. 16, 2019. She loved taking care of Nova whenever she could and the two read “search and find” books or they made pictures to hang on the fridge. Since Jennifer was into scrapbooking and crafting Christmas tree ornaments, Nova was eager to help when there was an opportunity for them to be together. Jenny’s interest in crafts evolved further and she attended craft fairs this past year.
Vacationing with her family was always a highlight for Jenny, whether it was skiing in Colorado, traveling to Yellowstone National Park or especially her last trip to Las Vegas with the whole family, where she enjoyed being together with them. Her family was an important part of her life. She enjoyed holiday dinners with family, but her favorite holiday was Christmas. Jenny enjoyed giving gifts and in order to give gifts, one must first go shopping. Without a doubt, shopping with her and sister, Julie, was her favorite pastime and those two never left the city of Lincoln without stopping at Hobby Lobby.
Gift giving didn’t stop for Jennifer and on Jan. 9, 2025, at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Lincoln, she gave the gift of life, donating her organs. On Jan. 10, the family received notice that there already had been a lifesaving operation.
She is preceded in death by her grandparents, Leland and LaVerda Dado, of Fairmont and John C. and Sophia Jacobs of Ohiowa; her parents-in-law, Robert and Virginia “Ginny” Petersen of Seward and brother-in-law, Tom Petersen.
Jennifer is survived by her husband, Jon, of Friend; son, Andrew, of Ohiowa; daughter, Ashleigh and husband, Miko Ferry, and granddaughter, Nova Reign, of Ohiowa; grandson, Sylas Ferry, of Norfolk; parents, John and Sharon Jacobs, of Geneva; sister, Julie Bundy, of Seward; sister-in-law, Lori and husband, Dave Feulner, of Hebron; brother-in-law, Kim and wife, Julie Petersen, of Dallas City Illinois; brother-in-law, Sam and wife, Angie, of Hebron; nephew, Dustin and wife, Casey, and daughter, Lyndsay Bundy, of Seward; three aunts, several nieces, nephews, cousins and many friends and of course, Odie and Leia.
A memorial service for Jennifer was Jan. 15 at the United Methodist Church in Geneva, with Pastor Karissa Miller and Kim Dunker presiding. There were three special music selections for Jennifer’s service, “I Can Only Imagine” by Mercy Me, “Here I Am, Lord” by soloist, Pastor Karissa Miller and accompanist, Melissa Houchin, and “Dancing In The Sky” by Dani and Lizzy.
Honorary urn bearers included Julie Bundy, Dustin Bundy, Andrew Petersen, Miko Ferry and Ashleigh Ferry.
A private family graveside services will be at a later date in the Ohiowa Public Cemetery. Memorial contributions are suggested to the family to be designated at a later date in Jennifer's name.
Arrangements by Farmer & Son Funeral Home.
