Janis “Jackie” Steinert, 83-year-old of Browerville, passed away on Thursday, May 21, 2026, at the Essentia Hospital in Brainerd.

A funeral Service will take place on Thursday, May 28th, 2026, at 11:00 AM. Visitation will take place at the church on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, and will continue the day of the funeral, one hour prior to the service.  Burial at the Evergreen Cemetery in Browerville will immediately follow the funeral service.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Browerville Food Shelf, where Jackie volunteered, or the Browerville Ambulance.

Janis Ann “Jackie” Steinert was born on February 13, 1943, to Peter and Ann (Ziegler) Lenk. She graduated from Staples High School and later attended the Minnesota School of Business. Soon after, Jackie began working as an IBM keypunch operator.

One weekend, Jackie returned home and attended a dance at Ed’s Big Barn, where she caught the eye of a young man named Gene Steinert. The two soon began dating and were united in marriage on June 3, 1967, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Staples. Their union was blessed with three children: Jacqueline, Jason & Jeff.

Jackie worked at Our Own Hardware and Farmers Union until 1970, when the young family moved to rural Browerville and purchased a dairy farm. Side by side, Gene and Jackie cared for the cows & farmland while raising their family. Jackie spent several summers cooking at Little Elk Ranch & later worked for the Browerville School District, first as a cook and then as a paraprofessional. Jackie enjoyed working with children and often volunteered at church as a Sunday school and Bible school teacher.

The Steinert’s have been lifelong members of Zion Lutheran Church in Browerville. In retirement, Jackie enjoyed volunteering at the local food shelf and spending time with family and friends.

Jackie had a special way of making others feel welcome and loved. She spent countless hours in the bleachers, cheering on her children and 5 grandchildren at their school events. Her pride & love in them was unmistakable, never missing an event & often shown by the newest attire proudly displaying her school spirit.

Downtime never lasted long for Jackie. If she wasn’t keeping Gene out of trouble or chasing after the kids and grandkids, she enjoyed painting ceramics, coloring, crossword puzzles, and trips, hearing the sounds of the machines at the casino.

Visiting Jackie’s home was always a joy. Her children, grandchildren, and guests alike knew they would be treated to her amazing cooking, enjoyed their favorite dishes of hers, and everyone left happy & with leftovers to enjoy.

Jackie lived on earth for 83 years, full of selfless love for others. On Thursday, May 21, 2026, she passed away at the hospital in Brainerd. She leaves behind her husband, Gene; children, Jacqueline (Brent Line) Meiners, Jason (Lisa) Steinert, and Jeff (Jen Gallup) Steinert; the apple of her eyes her grandkids, Mikkel, Preston and Riley Steinert, and Skyler (Hannah) and Carter (Maggie) Meiners, and her precious great granddaughter Vivian Meiners; siblings, Wayne (JoAnn) Lenk, twin sister, Jeanie Backstrom; sister-in-law, Rita Lenk. She joined in heaven her parents, Peter and Ann Lenk; brother, Maury Lenk; brother-in-law Bruce Backstrom.