Michael Dennis Jenkins passed away peacefully after a short and courageous battle with neuroendocrine pancreatic cancer on Nov. 26, 2023. Memorial services will be held Monday, Dec. 4 at 10:30 a.m. at First Lutheran Church in Blair. Visitation will be held one hour prior, beginning at 9:30 at the church.
Michael was born in Petersburg, Va., on June 12, 1972 to Sandra (Cooley) Siverts. He grew up in Lincoln, Neb. He had the amazing opportunity to live in Belgium for three years during elementary school when his stepfather Gary’s job took the family overseas. He graduated from Lincoln Northeast in 1990. He played both baseball and football in high school and continued his football career at Nebraska Wesleyan University where he played center.
He graduated from NWU in 1994 with a degree in business management and spent time working in Wisconsin and Illinois in the financial industry before returning to Nebraska also working in the financial industry most recently for BMO Bank as a loan underwriter.
Michael married Lesley George on Oct. 15, 2004. Their son Ian was born in 2006 followed by daughter Ella in 2009.
He absolutely loved being a dad and attending all their school and sporting events. It was during Ella’s softball games this last summer he was appointed President of the No-Filter Club due to his uncanny ability to let his disagreements with umpires, opposing coaches and even players slip out of his mouth rather loudly. He loved rooting not only for his own kids, but for each and every player on their teams. He would offer encouragement and pointers whenever he could. He was a coach at heart.
Michael also loved his friends and family. He was able to catch up with some of his teammates at a NWU game this past fall and talk about the “glory days.” You could see the spark in his eyes when he talked about his playing days. He loved reconnecting with friends.
Michael is survived by wife Lesley, son Ian, daughter Ella, sister Cheri, stepfather and wife Gary and Barbie Siverts, nieces, nephews and cousins. He is preceded in death by mother Sandie Siverts and grandmother Wanda Sydow.
Arrangements by Campbell Aman Funeral Home.
