Jeanine Louise Farb

Obituary

Jeanine Louise Farb (94)

Jeanine was born to Charles and Irene (Willman) Solberg in Iron Mountain, MI. She grew up in Metropolitan, Michigan and graduated from Felch High School, Felch MI. Prior to her high school graduation she was very proud to be chosen and to receive a certificate for a 6-week course in homemaking at Michigan State University. Jeanine graduated from the Lutheran Bible Institute in Minneapolis.

In 1949, Jeanine was asked by Pastor Joseph Conrad to interview for the position of parish worker at Zion Lutheran church in Rockford, Illinois. She was not offered the job, as one church board member, Lawerence Farb (who would become her future father-in-law), believed she was too young at age 19 to assume the job. In that year, Jeanine worked for the LBI/Augustana synod office doing secretarial duties and traveling to conduct Bible schools in small, rural communities in Minnesota. In 1950, Jeanine again applied and received a call as Zion’s parish worker. She frequently recalled fond memories of the almost 2 years she was in ministry conducting home visitation, secretarial duties, teaching Bible school and leading youth activities.

On September 1, 1951, she married Paul Albert Farb, son of Lawrence and Elsie (Carlson) Farb, at Zion Lutheran church. Together they raised five children. As a full time homemaker, Jeanine continued to be active in church and family activities. She reached out to the community in 1959/1960 to knock on doors and visit people looking for a church home in the then-quickly expanding neighborhoods in southeast Rockford. Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church had its first services in 1961 in the Vandercook school building. Jeanine, Paul and family were charter members.

In 1963, they moved from the family homestead in Rockford to a farm near Clinton, Wisconsin. Jeanine continued to volunteer in home and school activities, and several summers she worked as a coordinator for church Bible camps in Lake Geneva.

In their retirement, Paul and Jeanine wintered in Mission, Texas, and Jeanine was again busy volunteering in Bible schools for the children of migrant workers. She also enjoyed painting, traveling, visits from her grandchildren, leading and participating in Bible studies, camping, golfing, and gatherings with family and friends.

In 2001, they moved to Eau Claire, Wisconsin, near their daughter. Paul died 5 weeks after the move. In 2021, Jeanine traveled with her daughter and son-in-law to The Villages, Florida. She moved gently from earth to heaven in the early morning of May 6, 2024 in her daughter’s home when her heart failed and dementia overtook her.

Jeanine is survived by her daughter Paula Wainscott Eggleston (Tom), The Villages, FL; her sons David Farb (Lana), Liberty Lake, WA; Bill Farb (Kim) of Bettendorf, IA; her daughter-in-law Lori Farb, Belvidere, IL. She is also survived by her 14 grandchildren: Sara Ozer (Egon), Carl Wainscott (Julia), Angie Farb Carlson (James), Aaron Farb, Heather Farb, Marsha Farb, Tony Farb, Shaina Farb, Rebekah Farb, Abigail Farb, Michael Farb, Mark Farb, Jennifer Farb, Zachary Farb; 8 great-grandchildren: Errol & Helen Ozer, Andrew & Patrick Wainscott, Asa, Jaycie, Ali & Judah Carlson; her sister-in-law Darlene Solberg; and many nieces, nephews and friends.

Jeanine was preceded in death by her husband, Paul, her sons Ronald Farb (2016) and Larry Farb (2021), and her son-in-law Charles Wainscott (2017). She was also preceded in death by her parents and her brothers Charles John Solberg, Rockford, IL and Delano Solberg, Iron Mountain, MI, and by her in-laws, nieces, nephews and friends.

She was laid to rest in a private service at the Clinton Cemetery, Clinton, Wisconsin.