Gayle Jean Feeken, known affectionately as “Jeanie” to her family and friends and “Gaga” to her grandchildren, passed away peacefully on October 15, 2026, at age 76, following a short battle with cancer. Born in Sioux City, Iowa, Jeanie was a proud Nebraskan for most of her life before moving to Christiansburg, Virginia, to be near her daughter, Karen.

Jeanie was preceded in death by her husband, Dale Dawson Feeken; her son, Bradley Joseph Feeken; and her parents, Gale Harris and Donna England Harris. She is survived by her sister, Jacqueline Ann Harris Day and brother-in-law Frank Dennis Day of Sioux City, Iowa, her daughter, Karen Renee Feeken, and son-in-law, Dustin Cole Read of Blacksburg, Virginia; her daughter-in-law, Jenny Jo Huddle Feeken of Valentine, Nebraska; and five beloved grandchildren: Rylinn Dael Feeken, Maylee Jo Feeken, and John Randall Feeken, children of Brad and Jenny, and Sawyer Feeken Read and Sydney Ann Read, children of Karen and Dustin. She is also survived by many cherished nieces, nephews, extended family members, and dear friends.

Family, education, and lifelong friendships were at the heart of Jeanie's life. Raised in Sioux City, she grew up in a very tight-knit family, close to her sister Jackie and her parents. After high school, she attended Doane College in Crete, Nebraska, where she met Dale. Dale and Jeanie settled in Hastings, Nebraska, where they began their teaching careers and started their family. Both Brad and Karen would eventually follow their parents to Doane, making the college a special part of the family's story across generations.

Jeanie began her career teaching in Trumbull, Nebraska, before spending many years teaching preschool at the Hastings YMCA. Following Dale's passing in 1995, she showed remarkable determination by returning to school at the University of Nebraska Kearney to earn additional certification in elementary education. She went on to teach second and fourth grades, continuing a career devoted to helping children learn and grow.

Around 2001, Jeanie moved to Gretna, Nebraska, to be closer to Brad, who was also an educator in the Gretna Public Schools. Together, they became deeply connected to the Gretna community through their work, friendships, and shared commitment to education. Those relationships became especially meaningful during Brad's battle with cancer and following his untimely passing in late 2023.

Above all, Jeanie was a devoted mother who took great pride in her children and grandchildren. In 1999, Doane College honored her with its Parent of the Year award following a nomination by Karen — a fitting recognition of the love, encouragement, and unwavering support she gave her family. Jeanie nurtured special relationships with her grandchildren by spending individualized time with each, when possible. Her grandchildren’s unique memories with her include Bible study with Rylinn, baking and eating sweets with Maylee and Sydney, and helping name or teasing her dogs for Sawyer and John. Drawing on her years of reading stories to her students, she delighted her grandchildren with animated storytelling, complete with dramatic flair and distinct voices for every character—a memory each of them still treasures.

Her devotion to family extended well beyond her own household. Jeanie always shared a particularly close bond with her younger sister, Jackie, and wholeheartedly embraced Dale's extended family as her own. Jeanie treasured her close relationships with her nieces and nephews. Those family bonds brought years of laughter, shared meals, and spirited card games, while also providing strength and comfort through life's most difficult moments of loss.

Beyond family, Jeanie also valued her long-lasting friendships. She and Dale built relationships during their college years at Doane that endured throughout their lives, with Jeanie remaining close to former roommates and friends long after graduation. In Hastings, they developed another treasured circle of friends through Dale's work at Adams Central High School and their many community connections. Those friendships continued for Jeanie across decades and growing distances. Although sometimes reserved, Jeanie was fiercely loyal to those she loved, and the friendships she maintained were deep and enduring.

Jeanie enjoyed life's simple pleasures: cooking and socializing around good food, playing cards or games, and spoiling her beloved dogs. Like her father and sister, she had a special soft spot for animals, and her dogs were always treated like family. Her most recent addition, a Shih Tzu puppy, brought plenty of joy, companionship, and mischief to her final year.

And no matter where she lived, Jeanie was always proud to be from the Midwest. New acquaintances in the Southeast quickly learned about her Nebraska roots. She frequently sported Nebraska or Creighton University apparel, and in recent years became an enthusiastic Cornhusker volleyball fan. Watching games while talking on the phone with longtime friends or family who were cheering along became one of her favorite ways to stay connected to the people and place she loved.

In accordance with her wishes, Jeanie will be cremated, and her remains will be laid to rest beside Dale in Hastings, Nebraska. To bring together family and friends widely spread across the country, a virtual celebration of her life will be hosted by Mullins Funeral Home of Radford, Virginia, on Saturday, October 31, at 11:30 a.m. Eastern Time. Additional details and information for joining the service will be available through the funeral home’s website.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages memorial contributions honoring Jeanie's lifelong dedication to education and the shared teaching legacy of Dale and Brad. Donations may be made to For Feek Forever (forfeekforever.org/support), supporting literacy and educational opportunities in Nebraska, or to Dolly Parton's Imagination Library (imaginationlibrary.com), helping inspire a love of reading in young children.

The Feeken family is in the care of Mullins Funeral Home & Crematory, 120 W Main St., Radford, VA 24141. www.mullinsfuneralhome.com