Janine Margaret Oswald was born on September 10, 1959, to Robert and Margaret (Toelle) Oswald in the small town of West Point, Nebraska. She was the youngest child with three older brothers and one older sister who taught her the ways of the creek (pronounced “crick”), bean-walking, and corn-detasseling. She attended Guardian Angels school, Central Catholic, and graduated from West Point High School in 1977.

In 1983 she married Gary Rush at St. Mary’s Church in West Point where she worked as the manager of the Veterans Club for the VFW/Auxilliary. She and Gary parted ways in 1988 and she moved to Lincoln where she studied accounting at the University of Nebraska and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting.

Janine began a lifetime career with the FDIC in 1990 where she was able to travel extensively for both work and fun. She spent many years in Overland Park, Kansas, where she developed a love for blues and jazz music and KC barbeque. Janine inherited her mother’s cooking skills and was an avid canner, renown for her homemade jams and salsas.

She eventually moved to Oregon City, Oregon, and fell in love with the Pacific Northwest. She often volunteered at the local farmers market and cultivated a home garden full of gladiolas, dahlias, and peonies (pronounced “PEE-uh-nees”). After many years of loving cat ownership, she became a dog lover and adopted J.J. (named for singer/songwriter J.J. Cale) and Sally. She enjoyed spending time with friends and family across Oregon, especially her dear friends Deanna and Dean Hauck.

Janine was preceded in death by her parents Robert (“Bob O.”) and Margaret, brother-in-law Leo Meyer, and beloved dog J.J.

She is loved and survived by brothers Ron (Marilyn) Oswald, Stan Oswald, and John (Monica) Oswald, all of Lincoln; sister Judy Meyer of Huntsville, Utah; dog Sally and niece Jennifer Banks of Boise, Idaho; nephew Josh (Therese) Beck of Sussex, Wisconsin; nephews Ryan (Michelle) Oswald and Jason (Anna) Oswald, and niece Stephanie (Brent) Vetick of Lincoln; as well as many grandnieces, grandnephews, cousins, and friends.