Jan M. Wolke

Jan Marie Wolke (nee Happer) was born on July 7, 1950, in Albion, Michigan. She passed away on June 12, 2025. The youngest daughter of Jean Happer (nee Carter) and Henry “Hap” Happer and younger sister to Lee Rice (nee Happer). She spent her childhood in the hills of West Virginia before heading to the University of Louisville where she met Joe Wolke, her husband of 53 years and 2 weeks. They moved to Cincinnati, Ohio where they raised two children, Matt (Kristin) Wolke & Sarah (Dave) Braukman in the View Place neighborhood surrounded by family and friends who became family. Jan spent her days as a preschool teacher at Rockdale Temple Nursery School, where she was an often-requested family favorite. She poured her heart and creative talents into the job where her passion and respect for different religions was an asset. Friday nights were filled with laughter, bon fires, and card games while summers consisted of trips to visit family in Jacksonville where you could find her from sunup to “cocktail hour”, sitting with her toes in the sand. She loved the ocean and the Jacksonville Beaches so much that eventually she and Joe retired there, where they were able to enjoy living near more family and made more wonderful friends.

In the words of her husband, “Jan had a gift. While not overly outgoing she connected to people on a very personal level. For many friends, she was a confident, the one who listened and didn’t judge. The welcome in her heart was meant for all.”

Jan was a friend, a sister, a wife, a mother, a bonus mother, a teacher, a mentor, and even a GAJ. But her most cherished role was that of Nana to her four grandchildren, Nora, Meredith, Hunter & Adalie. With the grandkids she would host sleepovers, play Stone School, make homemade Play-Doh, read books (lots and lots of books), and as Sarah learned once her kids got older, often fed them ice cream for dinner.

Sometimes the end of someone’s life brings with it difficulty and sadness you don’t see coming. This, however, is not one’s legacy. Jan was funny, giving, and full of love. Her family is grateful she is at peace but will miss her dearly.

It has always been Jan’s wish to be cremated and have the ocean be her final resting place. The family is planning a memorial gathering to be held in Cincinnati at a future date, later this summer, and will communicate those details once they are finalized. This will be followed by a private distribution of her ashes in Florida.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be sent in Jan’s memory to Beam in Jacksonville Beach, FL or St. Gerard Campus in St. Augustine, FL.

https://jaxbeam.org/donate/Donate - BEAM

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/2ad60181-b73d-4b86-81c0-d3031edb05af