Jennifer Lynn Whipp was born on February 3, 1958 to Glen H. and Ila M. (Bailey) Nerness at Mary Greeley Hospital in Ames, Iowa. She was baptized and confirmed at the Bethany Lutheran Church, Kelley, Iowa. She grew up on a farm west of Kelley, Iowa, as the youngest of three children. In 1976 she graduated from United Community School, Boone, Iowa. She was active in high school speech, band and choir. Jennifer attended Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa and in 1980 graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Graphic Design.

After college graduation, Jennifer was a Graphic Designer for Talbot-Carlson Inc. Audubon, Iowa. She designed advertisements, flyers and posters for the company. In the fall of 1985, Jennifer returned to Ames and became a Graphic Designer for the publications department at Morrill Hall, Iowa State University.

Jennifer Nerness and Shannon Whipp were united in marriage on February 25, 1989. She and her husband own Whipp Trading Company, Ames, Iowa and The Pretzelmaker at Jordan Creek Mall in Des Moines, Iowa.

Jennifer was an avid outdoors person. She loved to hunt for fossils and morel mushrooms in her timber near Winterset. Jennifer enjoyed her vegetable and flower gardens that grew in size every year. She had a green thumb to which the many plants in her house attest. She always tried new varieties in her garden, canned and dried many items. Jennifer and Shad enjoyed fishing and hunting trips, visiting family and friends, attending family reunions and running their businesses together.

Jennifer was artistically talented and very creative. She attended numerous art shows and enjoyed many ‘Art in the Park’ events. She was also a huge Cyclones Basketball fan and even in illness she would not be deterred from watching March Madness games.

Jennifer was preceded in death by her father, Glen Nerness and her grandparents. She is survived by her husband, Shannon Clay Whipp; her mother, Ila Nerness, of Huxley, IA; brother, John and his wife, Claudia, of Los Gatos, CA and her niece, Barbara Nerness, of Berkeley, CA; her sister, Rebecca (Nerness) Bell, of Malvern, IA and her nephew, Jacob Bell, of Decatur, Ill; and many cousins, relatives and friends in central Iowa.

Jennifer passed away peacefully at home on Tuesday April 28, 2015, surrounded by the love of her family after a courageous struggle with cancer. She touched many lives with her positive spirit and strength during her illness.