ASCHENBERGER,
Jeanne Marie
MCMXLIII - MMXVI
Went in for the last good fight she'll ever know, in late October, with family at her bedside. Her stay at the Red Deer Hospice was short, <24 hrs from her intake. She intended to live out her last days in the comfort of her own home, but it became clear to her that her daughter's wouldn't make it so easy for her to leave. She changed her mind about hospice-care. She is survived by her husband, Jack, four children, Scott (Ponoka), Chris, Maryellen, and Cil (all from Sylvan Lake), and also their own children. Jeanne was born by a turn in a valley; her sister June rode on horseback one cold night under a full moon on a day that was regarded to be highly inauspicious. Seven miles from a ¼ section of land to use the closest phone to call her father to make haste. He was lucky enough to make it back to the homestead in time to witness the birth of his newborn daughter, Jeanne ("Genie"), as he liked to call her, a ironic pet name he coined that would follow her throughout the years also as a coincidental mispronunciation of her written name. A lot of you will know her as "Genie". There were six sisters: Joan, Joy, June, Jeannette, Jeanne, and Judy. After she finished school and worked around as a phone operator, she came to Red Deer and had three kids. Her new family re-located to Iran, but returned soon after. After her kids were old enough to face life independently, she separated from her partner and then started a new chapter. Jeanne started working again at the Sterling dry cleaners in Red Deer, moved in to an apartment with her widowed mother, and they would never leave each other again. She married Jack Aschenberger in 1982, her kids became his kids and she had another daughter with him. She also acquired some amazing daughter-in-laws, Christine (Scott) and Pam (Chris) along with the grandkids; Randi-lynn, Amanda, Janelle, Steven, Jayden, and Wolfgang. She had also acquired a new nickname, OMA. She enjoyed being Oma and spent time with them when she saw them on holiday and family gatherings. Jeanne, Genie, Oma - requested there not be a service. She did not want people to mourn her. The absence of a funeral did not help that. The last few years of her life have been spent as warm and in as much comfort as possible, amidst the strong family support she always had close by during these times, visiting her frequently. She died with family present bedside. Her husband Jack Aschenberger - whom she loved immeasurably, remained at her side with dedicated round the clock care, vigilant and doting, day and night. This was a labor of love, and his customer service was second to none.