Janine Marie Oxenford was born in Lamar, Colorado, on September 30, 1963, and entered into eternal rest on April 15, 2026. She moved to Iowa with her family at the age of two and grew up in Shenandoah, where she graduated from Shenandoah High School. She later attended Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa, Iowa.
Janine worked as a secretary in her father’s CPA office, as a nurse aide, and as a waitress before starting her family. She enjoyed sailing with her parents on Green Bay and Lake Michigan and had a deep appreciation for the outdoors.
Janine loved her grandchildren dearly and took great joy in teaching them to be resourceful and creative. She often helped them build ramps and garages for their Hot Wheels cars using items from around the house. They remember her as fun, imaginative, and full of life—especially the time she let Ilyon drive the 4-wheeler. She will be remembered for her gift of seeing potential where others saw none, creating useful and meaningful things from what might otherwise have been overlooked.
Janine was preceded in death by her mother, Patricia Oxenford, and her former husband, Raymond Aherns.
She is survived by her son, Adam (Sara) Oxenford of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin; Stella (James) Aherns and Raylene LaMay Stormy Aherns of Council Bluffs, Iowa; five grandchildren: Ilyon, Kyler, Ka’lyus, Tommy, and Eliora; her father, Charles Oxenford of Shenandoah, Iowa; and her sisters, Debi Krayna of Longmont, Colorado, and Cherrill Oxenford of Grinnell, Iowa. She is also lovingly remembered by many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews.
A Celebration of Life will be held Monday, April 20, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at the United Methodist Church, 200 Church Street, Shenandoah, Iowa.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be directed to Midlands Humane Society,or New Visions Homeless Services.
