Funeral Services for 78-year old Jarene Welling of Crawford, NE, are Tues, March 8, 2022 at 1:00 PM at St John the Baptist Catholic Church in Crawford.
Those wishing to share remembrances or join the funeral service virtually can do so on the Facebook Event Page, Jarene Welling Life Celebration.
Burial will be in the Crawford Catholic Cemetery.
Vigil will be Monday, March 7, at 6:00 also at St John the Baptist in Crawford.
A memorial has been established and donations may be sent to Security First Bank of Crawford in care of Chamberlain Chapel, PO Box 970, Chadron, NE 69337.
Online condolences may be left at chamberlainchapel.com
Jarene Kay Spencer Welling was born May 3, 1943, at Fort Robinson Army Post to Jim and Verda Marie (Robinson) Spencer Lundberg, the oldest of four children. She went to heaven on Thursday, March 3, 2022 after a brief battle with Leukemia.
Jarene graduated from Crawford High School in 1961 and in that same year on November 5, she married Jim Lemmon. To this union was born two sons, Roy and Joe
On September 11, 1976, Jarene married Keith Welling. The couple had three children, Mikel, Lyle, and Kari.
Throughout her life, she was a dental receptionist, business owner, entrepreneur, and rodeo goat contractor.
Family was Jarene’s greatest joy. She abundantly enjoyed the times when everyone got together for special events. There were many laughs around the table as Jarene shared stories of the unusual and hilarious events that made her life so colorful.
She loved taking care of her goats, playing cards, and spending time with family and friends. Jarene was an active member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Crawford.
Jarene was full of kindness, light, and hope. Her grandson, Colter Lemmon summed it up this way, “She had a profound, honest type of optimism. She told me during our last visit about a month ago that she was sure they wouldn’t be able to cure her but it was nice they were taking care of her.” She was always grateful and gracious in heart and soul.
Survivors include her husband Keith Welling, Marsland; Sister Vickie (Mike) Teetor, York; Daughter Kari Monroe (Marty), Harrison; Sons Roy (Brenda), Eagle Butte, SD; Joe (Terri), Chadron; Mikel (Nancee), Crawford; Lyle (Cindy), Benson, AZ. Grandchildren: Tucker, Logan, Thaine Monroe; Ashley Sanchez, Colter, Dylan, Julie, Chris Lemmon; Shalee and Jacob Lemmon; Kwade and AbbyGayle Welling; Sierra (Kade) Lehmkuhler and four children, Valentine; Ainslee Morrison, Graham, WA; and Rio Lee, Benson, AZ.. Great-grandchildren: Hadley Serres and Harlow Arendt. Extended family includes Sierra (Kade) Lehmkuhler and four children, Valentine; Jarene also leaves behind nieces, nephews, and many dear friends.
Tribute to Grandma by Colter Lemmon:
I loved my grandma. I can be flighty, forgetful, and can lose track of time chatting. It’s hard to be on time for things and I’m either way early or way late. I can say yes to often to many things and over commit myself. I appreciate a good joke. All this I got from my Grandma Jarene Welling.
But that’s not what she taught me. What she taught me was to work hard. I remember stopping in Hemingford to clean a house on the way to Valentine to set up a booth to sell bits, after the goats were fed of course.
She taught me the value of conversation. We would talk the whole way, every trip. Any random sad song on the radio could make her cry so we would visit. And she never talked to me like I was kid, she always gave me space to converse like an “adult”. She made me feel grown up and special. She always made me feel special. She made all her grandkids feel special.
She taught me kindness. I remember her talking about being called into jury duty being asked if she would convict a teenager of blatant crime. She said she was kicked out because she couldn’t convict them, she couldn’t do it. She just wanted to give them a hug and help them.
She told me a story once in high school. Her class got an assignment to rewrite the last scene of Romeo and Juliet. She misunderstood and rewrote the whole last act. And the teacher liked it and made her read for it the class. She told me she got made fun of for it but she didn’t care. She liked her story and so did her teacher, “So there.”
She had a profound, honest type of optimism. She told me during our last visit about a month ago that she was sure they wouldn’t be able to cure her but it was nice they were taking care of her. I said “that’s dark Grandma.” And we laughed.
These are just few examples of a few moments that have shaped me in ways I still don’t understand. She didn’t just make you feel special, she made all those moments matter because to her they did matter, more than anything. And now because of that, they matter to me in the same way.
Bless your heart Grandma, I love you, Goodbye.
Chamberlain Chapel of Chadron is in charge of arrangements for Jarene Welling.
Thoughts and prayers for your loss. Did not know Jarene but her son Lyle has a been a part of my extended family.
LeeAnn Ferley
Sorry for the families loss. She sounded like a great inspiration to everyone.
We didn’t know Jarene very well, but met her through the High School rodeo travels. Her son, Lyle hung with the Harrison kids. They had so much fun and laugher……..and so did the Mom’s.
We all cheered for the kids we knew. She was part of the rodeo family.
She was such a character and know where Lyle got his personality.
She is missed. May God hold you all close and help you keep her memories alive.