Obituary: Jennifer Hornberger Jones

Jennifer Hornberger Jones, beloved wife, mother, and daughter, died at home, May 22, 2010, surrounded by family and friends after a courageous two and a half year battle with cancer.

Jennifer was born in Anchorage on September 2, 1977, and was raised in Newhalen, AK. After graduating from high school, Jennifer attended the University of Nevada, Reno, where she obtained a B.S. in Secondary Education.

On May 30, 1999, Jennifer married Jeremy Jones of Carson City, NV in a ceremony conducted by her grandmother, Sara Hornberger, and they moved to Anchorage where Jennifer taught school for several years before becoming a devoted stay at home mother for her children, Joella and Benjamin. Their family was completed when a bedraggled little dog, soon to be known as Turbo the Terrible, found and adopted Jennifer.

Jennifer had become an accomplished bead worker and started her own business crafting custom beadwork. After her cancer diagnosis, she and Laura Revels began a quilt project, Beading for a Cause, at Alaska Native Medical Center. Cancer survivors and family members get together each week to make beaded squares that represent what cancer means to them and their loved ones. Other hobbies and interests were reading, crocheting, and gardening. Jennifer enjoyed participating in traditional substance activities, such as picking berries and putting up salmon to share with family and friends. Above all else, Jennifer loved spending time with her family.

Last summer the entire family, including Turbo, made a trip to Lake Clark to visit Jennifer's paternal grandparents. Afterward they flew to Newhalen to visit her parents and while there, Jennifer and Jeremy renewed their wedding vows for their tenth anniversary in a very special ceremony with their children as attendants.

Jennifer will be remembered for her kindness, grace, thoughtfulness, determination, and devotion to her family and friends. She made this statement to her family, "It is so important to me that our lives reflect the goodness of God, and that the time He has given us on this earth is precious, directed and completely worth it in the end."

Jennifer is survived by her loving, devoted husband, Jeremy and their children, Joella Beth and Benjamin David. She is also survived by her parents, George and Funa Hornberger; siblings Jaslyn (Matt) Wren and Chester Hornberger; nephew, Samael Wren; maternal uncle Peter John and aunt Fedosia Balluta; godmother, Joanne Wassillie; goddaughter Shoshanna Smallwood; paternal grandparents, Charles and Sara Hornberger; aunts Linda (Mark) Harriger and Gayle (Kendal) Carpenter-Kaihoi; and numerous other aunts, uncles, cousins, and close friends, as well as Turbo the Terrible.

Jennifer was predeceased by her maternal grandparents, Arseny and Nastasia Melognak of Newhalen. Services will be held Thursday, May 27 at Faith Christian Community Church at 4240 Wisconsin St. Viewing will begin at 3 p.m. with service to follow at 4 p.m. and a potluck reception to follow at the church.

A memorial scholarship in Jennifer's name has been set up with Alaska USA Federal Credit Union and coordinated by the Lake and Peninsula School District. In lieu of flowers, Jennifer and her family requested that donations be made to that fund:

Lake and Peninsula School District, Attn: Laura Hilton, PO Box 498, King Salmon, AK 99613