Janis Maxine Brunken

Janis Maxine (Einspahar) Brunken was born December 23, 1937 to Victor H. Eisnspahr and Edna M. (Leopold) Einspahr) at their home in Deshler, NE. Janis was baptized January 9, 1938 at St. Peters Lutheran Church, Hastings, NE. She received her elementary education at District 39, a rural school in Hall County, NE and graduated from Trumbull Consolidated School in 1955. During her youth, she and her older siblings, Lamoine and Carol, lived with their parents in several communities including Omaha, Trumbull and Doniphan. Janis abandoned her long held desire to become an RN when she met the love of her life and married Leon J. Brunken, November 20, 1955. Their first home was in Hastings, NE where they become proud parents of a daughter Sheryl. While still serving in the reserves of the U.S. Army, Leon was accepted into the NE State Patrol Academy. Following his discharge from the reserves, his first assignment with the Patrol was in 1957 at North Platte, NE. Six months later, he was transferred to McCook, NE. A second daughter, Gail, was welcomed into the family in 1958. They moved to Arvada, CO in 1961, and at this time, Janis entered the workforce as a nursing assistant for three years at Wheat Ridge Lutheran Hospital. In 1964, she accepted the position as office manager for the Wild Company. Seventeen years later, in 1981, she joined Leon in their newest business, Carnation Travel. After the death of her husband on April 17th 2005, just short of their 50th anniversary, Janis continued to live in the home she loved, that she and Leon had built many years before, overlooking the mountains and the city of Denver. She continued to manage their family business interests. Janis is survived by two daughters, Sheryl A. Brunken of Arvada, CO and Gail J. Denning of Lakewood, CO, one grandson, Trevor Griego, fiancé Kristin Kubacki and one great grandchild, Addison Griego, of Arvada, CO. In addition to her husband, she is preceded in death by her parents and a son-in-law, Michael Denning.

Additional Survivors include one brother Lamoine Einspahr (Emaline) of Hastings NE.; one sister Carol Rasmussen (Lyle) of St. Paul, NE.; and many nieces and nephews.

Janis was blessed with a deep faith in her lord and was always an active member of the LCMS church. She served on various boards and committees, but nothing brought her more joy than to sing in the choir. Early in their marriage, Leon and Janis discovered their love for travel. That precipitated Leon starting a travel agency on the side that grew into a business that gave them all the opportunities they could dream of to see the world. They were most happy traveling with their many friends and relatives, cruises being her favorite. Janis also loved her flowers and garden, reading and watching classic movies. Her friends were dear to her. She liked to go out to lunch with them, attend concerts and plays, and entertain them in her home. She was at her best when in the company of those she loved.