Charlotte D. Jans was born Feb. 18, 1927, in Cairo and adopted by Kurt and Dixie Meyer (Feary).
She graduated from Seward High School in 1944. On March 9, 1946 Charlotte was united in marriage to Marlin Woebbecke at Marysville, Kansas. Following Marlin’s death, she married Orval Jans on July 3, 1995, in Seward. Charlotte passed away Feb. 25, 2024, in Omaha, at the age of 97.
Charlotte has had a lifetime of interesting and sometimes brave choices, including the decision to teach in a rural school at the age of 18 after just a short period of training. Then after taking off time to be a wife, mother and farmer, she enrolled at Concordia University in 1999 to continue her love of learning. She continued to audit classes until 2019. During those years, many of her closest friends were college students. In 2018, students honored her friendship and mentorship by declaring her “Concordia’s Grandma.”
Charlotte was a master communicator. She kept in contact with friends and family and created cards to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and holidays. She was always kind, thoughtful and inclusive. She was a proud, interested and loving grandparent to those in her family as well as many who were not. She always had time and hugs to spend with young people. She will be greatly missed.
She was proceeded in death by her husband of 47 years, Marlin Woebbecke, as well as her second husband, Orval Jans; son, Kirby (Linda) and Duke. She is survived by daughter, Judy (Ron) Bahensky-Vogel; grandchildren, Emona (Rod) Orr, Brian (Sue) Woebbecke, Ashley Wellik, Jacob (Becki) Bahensky; 11 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; nieces, nephews, extended family and countless wonderful friends and neighbors.
The funeral service was March 4 at St. John Lutheran Church in Seward with committal at the Greenwood Cemetery in Seward. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to the Charlotte Meyer Jans Church Worker Scholarship Endowment. Arrangements by Volzke Funeral Home.
