Shawn Christiansen Jennings

Shawn Christiansen Jennings received her Heavenly wings on May 14th, 2022, at the age of 63, at home in Idaho Falls, Idaho. She was the youngest child born on December 7th, 1958, to Harold and Donna Sheen Christiansen in Rigby, ID. Shawn had a happy childhood, playing with her siblings, and visiting her grandparents in Utah. As a family, they loved to go into the wilderness and camp. One of her father’s favorite camping stories to tell everyone was about his little Shawnee catching her first fish. She was at the side of the creek, reeling in her fish and once it was out of the water, she could not wait to show her Mommy and Daddy. So little Shawnee threw that fishing pole over her shoulder, and ran to camp, dragging her poor little fish along the way. By the time she made her to her parents, there was only the fish head left.

Being the youngest, she was blessed with the opportunity to also grow up and babysit her nieces and nephews of her oldest siblings. All her nieces and nephews knew her as the fun aunt. She would regularly take them to work with her and do her best to spoil them rotten. Even while making those children feel like they were the most special person in the world, she did her upmost to teach them life values and lessons. One nephew was at home with her and would not stop going from one thing to next. To keep her nephew in the main part of the house with her, Shawn pretended that there was a scary person called Bloody Boy Blue in the basement. It backfired and scared her nephew with nightmares. She felt so bad, but it didn’t stop that nephew from wanting to be with her again the very next day!

When they were older, her nieces and nephews loved to spoil her. Aunt Shawnee would randomly find cookies, or gifts on her porch. She would even have flowers delivered to her home from her girls, Chelsea, and Holly, and her nephew, Austin, just because they were missing her so much.

Shawn’s best friend was her sister Sharon. They were two peas in a pod and would try to do anything and everything with each other. When they were not together, they always missed each other. When they had the chance to go on adventures, THEY TOOK IT. They once went camping in California, only affording Top Raman to eat, just to go to Disneyland together. Sharon also took her and their mother to Seattle and went to the Space needle. They even went and pretended to be Rockettes, with their mother right in the middle, dancing away. When they lived away from each other, Shawn and Sharon did their best to write and call regularly.

While she was a young adult, she met and married a young army man named Steven Jennings in 1979. It was a whirlwind romance. The Army took them on adventures and places they had never been before. While stationed in Germany, their family expanded with the birth of their first two daughters, Aleshia (Holverson) and Kristyn (Weeks). Once separated from the military, they welcomed their last beautiful baby girl, Chelley (Jennings). They raised their children in a modest home, surrounded by family, in Idaho Falls, Idaho.

Shawn had a special talent to help and comfort those that needed her. While going to school her senior year, she was one of the main caretakers of her mother, Donna, while she was ill with breast cancer. She finished her senior year early, so she could be at home, and spend as much time as she could taking care of her Mother. When her father became ill, years later, she stepped up to the plate and did everything in her nature to make sure her Daddy was fully taken care of. She was the number one chief cook and bottle washer. Shawnee also organized picnics with the family members in Idaho, so her Mother could be with her grandchildren and watch them play.

Shawn was preceded in death by her parents: Harold and Donna Vivian (Sheen) Christiansen, her brother Terry Lee Christiansen, her nephew Bobby Lynn Christiansen, and her Niece Carissa Nicole Eischens. She leaves behind her love and legacy on this mortal plane with her husband, Steve Jennings, her three daughters, Aleshia (Enoch) Holverson, Kristyn Weeks, Chelley (Mike) Jennings, her five grandchildren Braxton, Brooke, Emma, Payton, Sierra, two great grandchildren, her three siblings, Lynn (Sandy) Christiansen, Susan (Lonnie) Scott, Sharon (Bill) Eischens and all of her nieces and nephews who would not be who they are today without her.

Goodbye for now Shawnee. We love you and know you are in Mother’s arms. You are our gentle Dove, bringing peace to our family.