JENNIE F. ROSENBRAHN

Jennie felt she had accomplished all that she wanted to do in her earthly lifetime, and she was finished.  She was ready to move on to the next chapter, a journey she took alone, looking to be reunited with family, friends and her beloved dogs.  She passed peacefully on March 23, 2022.

As a young girl, born in Pineville, Louisiana, she learned to fish from her father, Floyd Smith and how to prepare them from her mother, Beatrice (Sutherland) Smith. She never missed the chance to go into the bayous as long as she could keep the poisonous snakes at bay.  That fostered her life-long fear of snakes.  Somewhere along the line she picked up the ability to fix anything on a car.  She passed along those lessons to her two sons, Alan (Amlix) Rosenkranz and Peter (Wanda Laird) Rosenkranz.

Jennie had the opportunity to reside in many locations in the United States among them Biloxi, Mississippi, Warner Robins, Georgia, Fort Walton Beach, Florida, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Koneoe, Hawaii before coming to Rapid City, SD in 1973.

In 1980 she became the owner of Ash Avenue Mobilehome Park.  Like with her cars, she taught herself plumbing, how to install water heaters and furnaces, and with the help of her future wife laid 900 feet of water line.  There wasn't much she couldn't do.

With her wife, Nancy (Robrahn) Rosenbrahn  they owned a drive-in in Keystone, SD, sold food on the pow wow circuit, were sponsors of an HIV support group, raised funds for many causes and help bring the Names Quilt (HIV/Aids quilt) to Rapid City twice.  Together they have cared for a Viet Nam veteran since 2003 and Nancy continues that to this day.

Jennie worked at many jobs, out of necessity - bills had to be paid, but what gave her the most joy was driving up and down the roads of South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska and Colorado picking up and delivering rescued animals from dogs, cats, donkeys and rats, these endeavors led Jennie and Nancy to fostering dogs under twenty pounds.  In seven years, they had 80 plus dogs call their house home.

In 2013 Jennie and Nancy married in Minneapolis and became the lead plaintiffs in a lawsuit Rosenbrahn vs State of South Dakota for equal marriage.  The Supreme Court granted equal marriage in 2015.

The list could go on with all that Jennie did in her 80 years.   Suffice it to say she lived a full, fun, loving life and she did it in a quiet manner.  No one can take her place.

Jennie is survived by her two sons and their families plus Nancy's two children, James (Vania) Robrahn, and Lisa (Scott) Franzen and her sister, Martha Stephens.   Her grandchildren are, Jessy, Michaela, Vanessa, Nikki, Bob, Hayden, Ethan (Bella), Riley, Blake and Bowen.  Also included in her family are many nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was proceeded in death by her grandparents, parents and two children who died in infancy, Scott and Sarah, her sister Lucille Reid and her brother Robert Smith.

A celebration of everything Jennie will be held on May 29, 2022, at Agape Spiritual Center of the Black Hills, 610 St. Francis Street, Rapid City, SD at 3pm..Immediately after the service a potluck meal will be served in the Centers meeting room.