Wendy (Jensen) Schaunaman

Wendy Schaunaman, 58, of Aberdeen, passed away peacefully on Sunday, June 21, 2020, at her home, surrounded by family.

Her funeral service will be 10:30 a.m., Friday, June 26, 2020, at First Assembly of God, 1424 24th Avenue NW, Aberdeen, with Pastor Gary Wileman and Reverend Jaymee Kinser officiating.

Burial follows at Riverside Cemetery in Aberdeen.

Schriver’s Memorial Mortuary and Crematory, Aberdeen, is handling arrangements.

Visitation will be 5-7 p.m., Thursday, at the mortuary, with a Celebration of Life Service and time of sharing beginning at 7:00 p.m.  Visitation continues one hour before the service at church on Friday.

Family and friends may sign Wendy’s online guestbook and view her service via the live stream service link at www.schriversmemorial.com.

Wendy Jensen was born February 9, 1962, to Richard and Betty (Fiekens) Biesheuvel in Little Falls, MN.  Following the sudden death of her father, Betty married Doyne Jensen in 1971, and he adopted Wendy and her two brothers. 

Wendy and her family moved often in her younger years. She attended different schools including Aberdeen, Ann Arbor, MI and Rapid City, SD. In 1971, they moved to Frederick, SD, where she completed her education and graduated from Frederick High School.

Wendy married Dave Mattson and to this union two children were born, Amber and Andrew.  The family lived in various places.  While living in Wyoming, the addition of another son, Amado Saldaña, completed their family.  Wendy and her children eventually moved to Aberdeen, where she met her future husband, Jim Schaunaman.  The couple was united in marriage on January 5, 1996, and the addition of her step-daughter, Shannon, and foster daughter, Jordan Blacksmith, made their family whole.  

While living in Aberdeen, Wendy’s career path reflected a variety of interests, passions, and talents including working at NADRIC, The Career Planning Center, and Artz Camera, before becoming the owner and operator of Stamp Ladies Two & Scrapbook Nook for 10 years and being employed with Spitzer-Miller Funeral Home for eight years.  In addition to her career, Wendy was also a Foster Care Provider for four years.  During that time, she and Jim cared for 17 foster children, seven foreign exchange students and multiple college exchange students.  She continued to make Aberdeen her home until the time of her passing.

Wendy was an active member of First Assembly of God and especially enjoyed being involved with the children’s ministries.  Kids were a very important part of Wendy’s life and she absolutely lit up with joy when she was around them.  Whether it was her own children, grandchildren, or foster children, Wendy considered them all family.  Every holiday was filled with the addition of children who had nowhere to go and all vacations were centered around her grandchildren’s interests.  She will be dearly missed by all those whose lives she touched.

Blessed to have shared Wendy’s life is her husband of 24 years, Jim Schaunaman; her children:  Amado (Liza) Saldaña, Shannon (Brian) Petersen, Amber (Jon) Reiss, Andrew (Lorrie) Mattson and Jordan Blacksmith; grandchildren:  Azia, Elliot, Parker, Betty, Ariella, Edie, Aaliyah and Isaiah; great-grandchildren:  Evvi, Mylez, and Izzi; her mother, Betty Jensen; brothers:  Wade (Kim) Jensen, Randall (Arla) Jensen and Rick Biesheuvel (Jacquie); and sister, Debbie Peterson.

Wendy was preceded in death by her father, Richard Biesheuvel; her adoptive father, Doyne Jensen; sister, Tina Biesheuvel; and grandson, William Petersen.  

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