Jeannine Ilene Rolfs

Jeannine Ilene Rolfs, 65, Topeka, died Thursday, June 13, 2013 at a Topeka hospital after decades of struggling with disease and threats to her health before cancer recently moved into her lungs and liver. Regardless of her own state of health, her first concern was always the well-being of others.

Jeannine was born June 11, 1948 in Lawrence, the second of five daughters born to Hugo and Julia Dressel Rolfs. She attended public schools in Topeka and graduated from Topeka High School in 1966. She earned a degree in education from Emporia State Teachers' College. She lived alone for most of her life, but she shared her home with her cat Angel for many years.

Jeannine retired from the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library in 2009. She was a member of Topeka Bible Church where she was active in her Sunday School Class and sang in the choir. Her strong Christian faith sustained her through numerous life challenges. She was an active volunteer at Stormont-Vail Regional Health Center, reaching out to others in spite of her own struggles. She was an avid reader and enjoyed embroidery projects until her vision faded. Jeannine was known for her commitment to handwriting personal notes to friends and family.

Survivors include her sisters, Teresa Rolfs and Karlene (Hal) Lockard of Topeka, Marianne Rolfs of Kansas City, MO and Kathy (Peter) Barr of Charlotte, NC, two nieces, Jesse and Hilary, two nephews, Thomas and Sebastian, one great-nephew, Sirius and a multitude of friends.

Memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, June 27, 2013 at Topeka Bible Church. Private inurnment will take place in Mount Hope Cemetery at a later date. Jeannine will lie in state and the family will receive friends from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Wednesday at Penwell-Gabel Mid Town Chapel. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to Topeka Bible Church, 1101 SW Mulvane St., Topeka, KS 66604 or to the Stormont-Vail Volunteer Services c/o Stormont-Vail Foundation, 1500 SW 10th Ave., Topeka, KS 66606.