Jeanne Ikerd

With heavy hearts, we announce the death of Jeanne Elizabeth Ikerd, who passed away due to liver failure at her home in Omaha, Nebraska on March 14, 2025.

Born on October 4, 1971, in Seward, Alaska, Jeanne was truly one of a kind.

Precocious and curious about the world around her, she proved this early on:

At the age of two-and-a-half years, she went on her first solo adventure, climbing a ladder outside the family home to the roof. She'd made at least three passes, running back and forth over the roof peak before she was found and retrieved by her frightened father.

Jeanne was an avid reader all her life. As a child, she would often take advantage of her summer vacations by reading through the night, only sleeping when she'd finished the novel she'd started the day before.

She was unwaveringly devoted to the people she loved, pouring herself into hours-long phone calls or deep in-person conversations over a bowl of popcorn and a box of wine.

Endlessly curious, she delighted in learning about others and how they saw the world. No topic was off-limits. She questioned the restrictions of religious and social norms and was a lifelong advocate for reproductive freedom.

Her dark humor and sarcastic wit were unmatched, her distinct cackle both disarming and infectious.

She was the first to show many what true unconditional care looked like and believed fiercely in the power of unconventional relationships.

Jeanne took great pride in working hard, no matter the job. She thrived on creating order out of chaos and had a billion life hacks for any situation.

Her most loyal companion was her cat, Monkey, an equally fierce and independent spirit who preceded her in death in 2021.

She is survived by her father, Ben Ikerd; her mother, Irene Martin; her little sister, Stephanie Diamante; and her cherished niblings, Elliot Diamante and Waxmell Diamante.

Though she is gone, those who loved her can picture her now, propped up somewhere comfy with a good book and finally getting some seriously overdue kitty snuggles.

An online memorial service is being planned and will be announced in the near future. In lieu of flowers, her family requests that donations be made in her name to Planned Parenthood or the Vermont-based rescue organization Queen City Cats.

Jeanne, you were loved, you will be remembered, and you will be missed.