Jeannie Marie (Wiarda) Odenbach, daughter of Cecil and Bernice (Fischer) Wiarda, was born May 21, 1953, in Watertown , South Dakota. She grew up on a farm near Castlewood in Hamlin County South Dakota. She graduated from Castlewood High school in 1971. Jeannie graduated with an Elementary Education Major and an Art minor from Black Hills State College in 1974. She taught elementary school in Herrick, Lucas and Burke, SD . After receiving her Master's degree in School Administration from South Dakota State University, she served as Principal in Burke and Wanblee, SD and St. Michael, Alaska.
She was united in marriage to Len (Dingy) Odenbach on June 5, 1976 in Burke. They have since resided on the Odenbach family ranch east of Burke, where she raised her boys Shane and Trent.
Jeannie was an active member of the Burke Baptist Church. She was very artistic  and her house was her masterpiece. She enjoyed gardening, painting, collecting antiques and decorating. Through the years she spent many happy hours watching her husband and sons rodeo.  She loved spending time with her grandson Hadley and was excited about the expectant arrival of her second grandchild this spring.
Grateful for having shared her life are her husband Len Odenbach of Burke; two sons Shane (Tanya) Odenbach of Francis, UT and their son Hadley. Trent (Beth) Odenbach of Sturgis, SD; her father Cecil Wiarda of Castlewood, SD; two sisters Sally Kemink (Randy) of Poughkeepsie, NY and Julie (David) Bragg of Wellington, OH; two brothers Richard (Lois) Wiarda of Castlewood, SD and Robert (Alinda) Wiarda of Dell Rapids, SD. In-laws include Lee (Sandra) Odenbach of Taylor, NE and Myrtle Ann (Denny) Lubbers of  Burke, SD; numerous nieces, nephews and great-nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by an infant brother, an infant daughter and her mother Bernice Wiarda.
Memorial services will be held on Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 10:30 AM at the Union Baptist Church in Burke. Inurnment will be in the Graceland Cemetery, Burke.