Jeannie Haugen
Jeannie Constance Haugen, 77, died peacefully October 4, 2022.
A celebration of life was held Oct. 15 at Lutheran Church of Hope in Anchorage, Alaska.
Interment will be held Oct. 22 at 2:00 p.m. at Evergreen Hill Cemetery in Staples, followed by a reception at Faith Lutheran Church, Staples.
Jeannie was born March 4, 1945 to Roy and Cornelia (Bjerke) Sears in Sharon, N. D. She was the second of four children and grew up on a farm near Petersburg, N. D. She attended elementary school in a one-room schoolhouse and graduated from Unity High School in 1963. That same year, she enrolled at the University of North Dakota earning her Bachelor’s degree in English in 1967. Jeannie later moved to East Lansing, MI to attend graduate school at Michigan State University, earning a Master’s degree in Library Science. She later worked at the MSU library as a librarian.
In 1975, she moved to Alaska with her then-fiancé, David Haugen. The couple married May 6, 1978. Sons, Leif, was born Oct. 18, 1979 and Brent, was born Aug. 18, 1981. Jeannie was a “super mom” to her sons while they were growing up, transporting them to and from baseball, hockey and soccer practices, games; cheering for them from the bleachers and helping with homework during tournaments.
In her spare time, Jeannie enjoyed cooking, gardening, reading and spending time with her grandchildren, who were the light of her life. She volunteered making lefse at the Sons of Norway in Anchorage, at the Anchorage Public Library, where she earned an award for her service. She particularly enjoyed attending the Nutcracker Ballet with her family every year during the Thanksgiving holiday.
She was active at the Lutheran Church of Hope. Her strong faith was an essential part of her life and loved to learn, share and pray with others. As a beloved member of her church, she was regularly involved in Bible studies, particularly with the Sunday morning crew, as well as worship and community events. She trusted in God’s love and mercy throughout her life.
Jeannie is survived by her husband; two sons, Leif and daughter-in-law, Leslie Jaehning and their two children, Alice and Anders, of Anchorage and Brent, of Anchorage; two sisters, Corrine (Sears) Iverson of Fergus Falls and Judy (Sears) and Gene Rose, of Alexandria; one brother, Don Sears, of Fargo, N.D. and many other relatives.
She was preceded in death by her parents and one brother-in-law, James Iverson, of Alexandria.
Jeannie’s kind spirit and gentle nature will be missed by all who knew her. The Latin root of her middle name, “Constance”, means “resolute” or “faithful” and perfectly described her guiding principle throughout her life. During her battle with cancer, she maintained a positive attitude.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Lutheran Church of Hope, Anchorage.
Arrangements were by Brenny Family Funeral Chapel, Staples.
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