Jana Dee Christensen, 72, of Spokane, WA, passed away on January 7, 2024, in Spokane. Born on April 5, 1951, in Spokane, Jana was the daughter of Lois and Boyd Thomas. Jana is survived by her sons, Ryan (Sandy) and Jay (Amber) Christensen; her sister, Kristi (Jon) Greene; her grandchildren, Anna and Ethan Christensen; and her niece and nephew, Kaylin and Jared Greene. She was preceded in death by her parents; and her partner, Rolland Glidden. Jana was a driven and determined individual, discovering her passion for working with children and pursuing a college education to attain a teaching degree later in life. She was compassionate in patiently working with special needs children in the education system. Jana was also very creative and thoughtful; known for the unique handmade gifts she would sew that recipients would cherish throughout the years. Above all, Jana was a devoted and loving mother who continually sacrificed and was present to ensure her sons were cared for. Jana attended Ferris High School in her youth. Much later into her 40s, she went on to graduate from Spokane Falls Community College with an A.A., followed by a B.A. in Special Education and a Master's degree in Elementary Education from Whitworth University. In her career, Jana served as a stay-at-home mother before becoming a store manager at Joanne Fabric. She later worked as an Express Site Coordinator at Balboa Elementary in the Spokane Public School district and then as a Resource Room Educator at Balboa Elementary, Westview Elementary, Arlington Elementary, and Logan Elementary before retiring in 2018. Jana enjoyed spending time with family and friends, sewing, collecting bells, hosting tea parties, walking and hiking, watching Gonzaga Basketball, shopping, and taking care of her yard and garden. A Memorial Service for Jana Dee Christensen will be held on Saturday, January 27, at 12:00 PM at Christ Our Hope Bible Church, 1620 N. Monroe St., Spokane. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Union Gospel Mission Association of Spokane, specifically for youth outreach, at P.O. Box 4066, Spokane, WA 99220.

Published by Spokesman-Review on Jan. 14, 2024.

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/spokesman/name/jana-christensen-obituary?id=54101061