Jennifer M. "Jenny" Engel

1974 - 2025

Our sunshine, Jennifer Michelle Engel (Crowley), left her physical body on October 23, 2025. Born in Orange, California April 1, 1974, she was raised in Minnesota.

Jenny became a special education teacher in 1997 at St. Cloud State University. She taught mainly middle-school students in California, Minnesota and Illinois with a primary focus in English. The last 20 years were spent at Keller Junior High School in Schaumburg, Illinois. In addition to her teaching duties, Jenny ran a garden club for several years and was the union rep for her group. She was working towards a masters degree when metastatic breast cancer struck.

Her sons brought her much joy and laughter as did music, dancing, writing poetry, publishing three books (available on Amazon) and her many posts on Facebook and YouTube. Special thanks to her editor and writing partner, Chuck. She was a member of Scribes writing group for many years.

She left notes for people special to her and read stories on YouTube for future generations. After seeing to the many details of leaving over the past year on hospice, she surrendered her body.

Thanks to her many friends, Advocate Hospice, and her terrific caregivers Jess, Selena and Sara for making her last months as joyful as possible.

Survived by her spouse Jason, her sons Jack and Kai, step-son Ethan; as well as her mother, Sandra (Erickson) Welday and James Welday; uncles Steve and Darrell Erickson, aunt Michelle Magnuson; many cousins; and grandmother Dawn Crowley and family.

Predeceased by Jerry Crowley and grandparents Ed and Marge Erickson.

We will miss her laughter and optimism despite being born with spina bifida and dealing with metastatic breast cancer.

Jenny didn't want a big "to do" but would appreciate people reading to children, laughing and dancing in her memory as she journeys to her next adventure. She wanted to spread the joy she found in teaching, not just in the classroom but in her writing.