Jennifer Erb

Jenni’s family respectfully requests that gifts be in the form of memorial donations which will be deposited into a college fund for her four children. Donations may be left at First National Bank in Manning, or at the visitation and funeral. 

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Jennifer Renae entered this world on July 13, 1975, in Des Moines, Iowa, to Sandra Kay (Christensen) and Vernon Tibben. She immediately began her life long work of loving well, and stealing hearts with her beautiful smile and piercing blue eyes. She also quietly gained the heart of her daddy, Dennis Olesen, when he and Sandra later married. Jenni grew up in Audubon, graduating from Audubon High School in 1993. She continued her love for education at DMACC in Carroll for Nursing before transferring to Iowa State University where she attained a BS in Family and Consumer Sciences, majoring in Child and Family Services. She utilized this degree in her work with children and adults with disabilities in several areas. She later attained a BS from Upper Iowa University in Social Sciences with a Secondary Education Endorsement and was endorsed to teach Family Consumer Sciences, American Government, Sociology and Psychology.

Jenni was gifted with two amazing sons, Jonathan and Joey Greazel when married to Matthew Greazel. On August 1, 2009, Jenni was blessed in marriage with Kevin Erb at the First United Methodist Church in Audubon. Two children, Rachel and Jesse, were born to this heaven-made match. The couple lovingly made their home on the Erb farm between Irwin and Manning. Since 2007, Jenni taught at IKM, and then IKM-Manning School, where she was the Family Consumer Sciences teacher for grades 7 through 12. Throughout the years, Jenni served as a Student Council Co-sponsor, Assistant Director for the high school musical, Silver Cord Committee member, and Prom Co-sponsor. She took senior pictures for many students. Most importantly, Jenni served as a mother figure that far exceeded her role as a teacher. She accepted and advocated for her students, loving them intensely. Jenni also loved and served in her church home, the Ross Calvary United Methodist Church where she taught Sunday school and participated in Vacation Bible School among other activities.

Ever the artist, Jenni wove a magnificent, colorful tapestry with her very life. Golden threads of love and nurturing tell a story of loving and living passionately and fiercely. She was a wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, niece, granddaughter, cousin, friend and teacher. Each role was important and special to her and the threads of each extend to every corner of the tapestry of a life well lived. Purple threads tell the story of fighting and surviving cancer, an experience which prompted her to advocate for awareness. Beautiful brown threads signify the hair she continually cut to donate to those fighting that same battle. Blue threads symbolize the fight she fought for awareness for Huntington’s disease. Embroidered throughout the canvas of her life were the greens and browns of working in the earth, bringing flowers and vegetables to fruition on her acreage. The bright colors of the rainbow weave through the background, painting a picture of someone who loved to create and craft, sewing and cooking and gifting her works to others, a physical extension of the way she loved. Ink-colored threads show the countless notes she penned to encourage others. Deep red runs through her story, showing her Savior’s redemption, and how she quietly and humbly became His hands and feet on earth, showering others with hope, encouragement and love. The vibrant colors she began weaving are evident in the canvases of her husband and children. Through her friends and family and students. Our lives are colored more vibrantly because of the life she lived.

On Wednesday, April 18, 2018, at age 42, Jesus received this most precious daughter. While her death at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa, following a brief illness, was so unexpected to us, His arms were open to receive her at the time He had appointed before He’d even crafted this special child.

     Jenni is survived and celebrated by her husband Kevin Erb of Manning; children: Jonathan and Joey Greazel, and Rachel and Jesse Erb, all of Manning; her father Dennis Olesen of Audubon; mother-in-law Myrna (Bernard) Gundel of Fontanelle; siblings: Matt (Melanie) Olesen of Harlan; Sarah (Stephen) Asmus of Audubon; Carrie (Michael) Bauer of Audubon; Nicole (James) Brown of Exira; Seth (Luka) Olesen of Audubon; grandmother Dorothy Tibben of Atlantic; sister-in-law Rhonda Erb of Greenfield; brother-in-law; Brian Erb of Manilla; many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. She was preceded in death by her mother Sandra Kay Olesen; father Vernon Tibben; brother Christopher Tibben; father-in-law Gary Erb; grandparents: Genevieve McVicker; Chet Christensen; Robert Tibben; Earl and Jesse Olesen; aunts: Sue Suominen and Lewene McVicker; and cousin Alexandra Christensen.

Music

“How Great Thou Art”  “Amazing Grace”

Congregational Hymns

“I Will Carry You”

Elizabeth Book, vocalist

Helen Wiese, accompanist

“She Loved”

recording by Jeff and Sheri Easter

Casket Bearers

Honorary Casket Bearers

Jenni’s nieces and nephews  

Dilan, Haley, Levi, Shelby, Kendal, Katelyn, Victoria, Alexandra, Cael, Christopher, Ruthie, Gracie, Jimmy, Mollie, Davin, Joy, Annie, Claire, Greta, Patrick

The family wishes to express their gratitude for your kindness

and invites you to join them for refreshments and fellowship

in the Hausbarn Konferenz Center following the funeral.