This is a celebration of the life of Ingeborg Elisabeth Jahnke. She has left her earthly tent to her eternal dwelling place. We grieve because we miss her, but she is very much alive. I will share a little later how I know that to be true.

Thank you all for being a part of this celebration. Inge would be pleased about this gathering of friends.

It was just over five years ago, that Inge hosted an 80th birthday party. Most of you were there and remember her as energetic, fun, and youthful for her years. That’s how she would want to be remembered. Inge was very happy, because she was with people she loved.

My mom valued relationships. She put a lot of effort into maintaining connections with people, corresponding with friends in other states or in Germany via regular phone calls or long emails; hosting gatherings in her home for local friends as well as being a guest at many of your homes. At Christmas, mom wrote many hand-written letters to update friends whom she wasn’t in frequent contact with.

Mom made new friends easily, with her happy-go-lucky charm and gift of gab. On several occasions she met people on vacation, only to invite them to stay at her house. She would then come home and tell us about it. Of course, we would be shocked and remind her how it was not a good idea to invite strangers into her home. A few years ago, a new friend accepted the invitation. Fortunately, it turned out okay.

Mom showed a deep sense of gratitude. She was very appreciative of every kind of generosity, small or great given to her, often stating. “I thank GOD every day for my blessings.”

Mom knew what it was like to have nothing, not even parents who cared for her. Ingeborg Jahnke was born on March 8, 1936 on Lindwurmstrasse 2a in the Women’s Hospital of the University, in Munich, Germany to Amalie Ach age 24 and Konrad “Kurt” Ammersinn, age 22.

She was illegitimate at birth and her parents never married. When her mother went back to work, mom was place into foster care from age 3 to age 16. Though it was deeply painful, my mom didn’t dwell on it.

Mom kept a quote from the website “Lessons Taught by Life” that she aspired to live by. The quote is as follows:

“Just because I laugh a lot, doesn’t mean my life is easy. Just because I have a smile on my face, doesn’t mean something isn’t bothering me. I choose to not dwell on the negatives, keep my head up, and move on with my life.”

My mom taught me to be self-reliant – she thought it especially important as a girl to be prepared for life. She generously rewarded hard work and good grades in school.

She sent my brother and me to parochial school, in spite of the extra expense, and Saturday German school in spite of our protests. She did her best to provide us with opportunities that she didn’t have.

Mom grew up and attended school in Ramersdorf, Munchen not far from downtown Munich. At age 4, she met her dear and long-time friend Eva, whose daughters Sylvia and Michelle are with us today from Reno. She also met her dear friend Christa, who currently lives in Ramersdorf, in school at age 6. Karl Sedlmeier, who is here today also attended the Maria Ramersdorf school.

Mom and Eva sang at the Maria Ramersdorf church; Christa remembers with fondness how beautifully they harmonized.

Mom followed Eva from Munich to California around 1958 around age 22. She married my father, Hans Hellmannsberger, and had two children, my brother Johann and myself.

In Westchester, Inge worked for Bank of America where she met Helen Peters. They worked together in one room for years and developed a great relationship. They loved to talk and shared many stories. My mom became very familiar with Helen’s and Luigi’s large family. We became friends with the Peters: Luigi, Helen and their daughters Marsha, Denise and Debbie – Marsha and Denise are here today. Through BofA Mom met and became good friends with Amy and Joe Yukawa, who are here today as well.

Living in Westchester, mom and dad developed many friendships. They often visited the Gebhards in Huntington Beach, for dinner, card games and singing, as Helmut was a professional singer and musician. Helmut, Kathy and their children Heidi, Randy and Ron became long-time family friends.

My parents parted ways in the 1970’s but remained friends until my dad, Hans Hellmansberger’s passing in 1990.

In Westchester, Mom was active in the local YMCA, along with Ursel Weber, Christa Pilon and Maria Hilfer. They started their own social club, the “puddingklub” which lasted for many, many years. After exercise class, they met at least once a week at someone’s home to talk and laugh until the wee hours of the night. They had such a fun time. Many gatherings for birthdays, holidays and other event came from this friendship and many wonder memories were made.

At the YMCA, mom also joined a running and social club called the Doo Dah runners., Amy & Joe Yukawa were also Doo Dahs.

In the late 70’s mom and Hans Jahnke met on an airplane to or from Munich. Sometime later, a romance ensued, and Inge and Hans Jahnke married on November 3, 1984.

On June 28, 1984, at Hasi’s urging, Inge became a naturalized citizen. She appreciated her German roots but loved America due to the opportunities provided and friendships made. She was a proud patriot. She spent over 60 years in the USA, but never lost her charming German accent.

Mom moved from Westchester to the San Fernando Valley and started a new chapter in life. Hasi and mom were married almost 25 years until Hasi’s passing in September 2009.

It was through Hasi, that Mom was introduced to the Sailer Family, the Berg family, the Ehlerts and so many new friends via the Bayernklub as well as the Grindelwald ski club. Some friends became like family. They celebrated each other’s family milestones: graduations, weddings, baby showers, etc. They met often for dinners, holidays, birthdays and sometimes vacations. The puddingklub ladies with their husbands were quickly introduced to Inge and Hasi’s “valley” circle of friends.

There was always a lot of fun, sometimes a little drama, but always a bonding of good friendships which they enjoyed for decades. Mom and Hasi were both beloved.

My mama was both creative and artistic. For a season, she was a contributing writer to the California Staatszeitung German Newspaper. The celebrations provided opportunities for her to paint t-shirts, and create elaborate hats decorated with flowers for Fasching (Germany’s carnival season). She loved to create poems “gedichte” for people’s birthdays or participate in skits performed for these celebrations.

On July 1, 1998, Hasi suffered a severe and debilitating stroke. Hasi regained his mobility through determination, though he never regained his speech. Mom ensured that they continued to enjoy life together as they did before. She retired from BofA to take of Hasi, their social life remained intact and they traveled as much if not more than before. Mom had an inner strength that helped her through this time, until Hasi’s passing in 2009.

I will miss my mom and Hasi singing happy birthday every year on my phone’s answering machine. I will miss the angels and flowers that mom drew on many cards that she sent. I will miss hearing her voice, her nicknames for me and her close friends. I will miss her enthusiasm. I will miss her joy and childlike wonder for beautiful placesfor our outings together. I will miss her laughter and her smile and so much more.

The last year of my mama’s life was bittersweet. The whole world was shut down due to a virus. We were told that a shut dow would be “two weeks” then “the powers in charge” extended it to over a year. Families and friends became Isolated from each other, as we waited to hear from so called “experts”. Businesses, social gatherings, restaurants, gyms, theaters remained shut down.

Mom thrived on social interaction. She went to Zumba and other classes at the gym almost every day and looked forward to meeting with friends and going to the Bayernklub.

The news she watched fed non-stop narrative about the virus, social isolation , etc. Mom’s outlook on life changed as a result and she became a self-proclaimed “Haus Maus,” so contrary to her natural personality. I believe Mom started to get sick at this time.

She had a check-up in July, and though she had lost weight, nothing out of the ordinary was suspected. By December, she was very thin. In January, after various tests including an x-ray and CT-scan, mom was diagnosed with lung cancer. The doctor offered mom treatment, but she refused. I asked her numerous times about getting treated, but she said no. She was resolute in her decision.

She remained at home through March, and after that mom moved to Huntington Beach to live with me and Willi until her passing.

Now I am going to talk about a subject that is privy to many, but I am going to talk about it anyways.

In terms of word views, there is atheism (nothing created everything), pantheism (the belief in many gods), and theism (belief in God). Of the three major monotheistic religions,(Judaism, Islam an Christianity) only Christianity provides for complete forgiveness of sin (past, present and future), and assurance of salvation by trusting in what Christ did for us on the cross.

Mom was an occasional church goer but always a believer in God.

My mama is in heaven today. NOT because she was a kind, good person. The Bible states, “There is none righteous, no not one.” (Rom 3: Ps. 14 & Ps 53) Rather, she is in heaven because she believed in GOD’s provision for the redemption of humanity: Jesus Christ the Savior, His death on the cross for the sins of all mankind and resurrection from the dead. John 3:16 “For GOD so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life

I saw mama take her last breath on May 10 at 2:12pm. At that moment, I believe she was ushered into the presence of the LORD, and that I will see her again.

Mom’s passing and the passing of those we love remind us of our own mortality. God’s plan was not death for humanity, but eternal life through Lord Jesus Christ, his death and resurrection. “God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. For all live to Him.” Luke 20:38.

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