Jacqueline L. Henkel, 73, passed away in Wheaton Franciscan-All Saints on Sunday, February 8, 2009 due to respiratory failure. She was born in Edgerton, WI on September 3, 1935 the daughter of the late Floyd and Ruth (nee: Juhre) Roushia. While working at Progressive Dairy, in 1953, she met the love of her life, Donald J. Henkel. They were married in St. Edward Catholic Church on December 31, 1955. Don preceded her in death on April 7, 2005. Jackie was a 1953 graduate of Washington Park High School. She was also employed by Westview Nursing Home, Feiges’s Clothing, and Racine Educators Credit Union where after 20 years of service, she retired. Jackie was a longtime member of St. Edward Catholic Church, Friends of Seniors, The Racine Zoological Society, and The Club ( a group of her very close friends). She enjoyed, “Everyone Loves Raymond”, and playing Yahtzee. She was an accomplished artist, organist and mathematician. Jackie was an avid reader and bowler. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. She was known as ‘The Dr. Spock” to her family. She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her. Surviving are her children: Barry John (Christine) Henkel, and Sherry Lynn Henkel all of Racine, Laura Jean (Blake) Rogers of Kenosha, Karen Louise Henkel, and Linda Leigh (Ronald) Coutts all of Racine, and Dawn Marie (Jonathan) Kiepert of Greenville, SC; grandchildren, Emily Ann Henkel, Jenna Nicole Hicks, Haley Amber Hicks, Ashley Leigh Coutts, Alexander Wynn Coutts, Christopher “Chopper” Donald Lawrence Henkel, Hannah Marie Henkel-Kiepert, Matthew Kiepert, Nathan Kiepert, Jessica (Daniel) Woods, Elisabeth Rogers and Sam Rogers; brothers-in-laws and sisters-in-law, John Christensen of Racine, Donald Vogelman in Florida, Lawrence (Suzette) Henkel, Thomas (Nance) Henkel in AZ, Faye Henkel of Racine. In addition to her beloved husband Donald, her parents Floyd (Mildred) Roushia and Ruth (Jerome) Kopecky, and sister, Nancy Roushia preceded her in death. Her Mass of Christian Burial will be held in St. Edward Catholic Church, (15th and Grove Ave.), on Thursday, February 12, 2009 at 10:30 a.m., with Rev. Allen Bratkowski officiating. Visitation will be in the funeral home on Wednesday from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. and in the church on Thursday from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the Mass. Burial will follow in the Southern Wisconsin Veterans Cemetery. The family has suggested memorials to: St. Edward Catholic Church, the American Lung Association, or the Racine Zoological Society. The family would like to publicly thank Dr. Nicholas Omdahl and his staff, the staff 2C at Wheaton Franciscan-All Saints (you know who you are), and the respiratory therapists of Wheaton Franciscan-All Saints.
David, Maria and Danielle Juhre says
The Cost
Death is not too high a price to pay for having lived. Mountains never die, nor do the seas or rocks or endless sky. Through countless centuries of time, they stay eternal, deathless. Yet they never live! If choice were there, I would not hesitate to choose mortality. Whatever Fate demanded in return for life I�۪d give, for never to have seen the fertile plains nor heard the winds nor felt the warm sun on sands beneath a salty sea, not touched the hands of those I love ��� without these, all the gains of timelessness would not be worth a day of living and of loving; come what may.�
– Dorothy N. Monroe ���
Jackie can be described as one of the deepest forms of love. Her love for her husband and family. As many would know it takes a special individual to make the dedication to raise 6 children. There can be tremendous pain, but everlasting joy. There have been very few people in my lifetime that demonstrated every day a joy for life and a enormous gift for giving of herself. Her happiness came from her friends and families success before her own. It must have been a strong comfort that her faith in Christ gave her the ability to endure any hardship with her head held high. Jackie possessed a inner-peace that enabled those around her to be stronger, better and more patient. One could only hope that we could meet more people like Jackie.