Jill Day Jukes

Jill Day Parker Jukes, 79, of Elkhorn, Nebraska, passed away peacefully on March 13, 2026, at Methodist Hospital in Omaha, with her devoted husband, Ed, by her side. She was born on December 20, 1946, at Saint Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, to Joseph James Parker II and Lucille Jane Parker. She grew up in Leawood, Kansas, where she graduated from Shawnee Mission East High School in 1964. She later enrolled at Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas, as a journalism major and joined the Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority. While at Pittsburg State, Jill was a cheerleader for the football team. It was there she met the love of her life, Edward Dean Jukes, an offensive guard for the Gorillas. The two married and shared fifty- nine wonderful years together. Their first child, Guy, was born in December 1966 at Saint Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri—the same hospital where Jill had been born twenty years earlier. Shortly after graduating from Pittsburg State, Ed served two years in the United States Army. Jill proudly supported him during his service as the young family began their life together. They first moved to Fort Benjamin Harrison in Indiana, where Ed attended the U.S. Army Adjutant General (AG) School, before receiving a duty assignment in West Germany. During their time overseas, their daughter Edi was born in Kaiserslautern. After returning to Kansas, the family continued to grow, and their youngest son, Ty, was born in Ottawa on July 4, 1974—an especially fitting birthday for “Typhoon,” whose lively spirit has always matched the fireworks of Independence Day. Family was the center of Jill’s life. She devoted herself to her family and home as a proud domestic professional. She loved spending time with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, and cherished every opportunity to be together. She was also known as a consummate babysitter, always happy to lend a hand caring for children and bringing warmth and laughter to those around her. Jill had a deep appreciation for life’s simple joys and was well known among friends and family as a competitive amateur athlete. Golf became one of Jill’s greatest passions. As life took the family from Salina, Kansas, to Ottawa, Kansas, and eventually to Elkhorn, Nebraska in 1979, her love of the game only grew. Highland Country Club in Omaha became something of a second home in the 1980s and 1990s. Ed and Jill hosted Catha Fogelberg, a foreign exchange student from Sweden, whom Jill helped coach at Elkhorn High School. Catha went undefeated to win the 1995 Class B state championship and earned a scholarship to play golf for the University of Nebraska. Jill later played regularly at Shadow Ridge Country Club, where she won stroke play championships in 1996 and 1997, as well as the 2001 derby championship. She recorded her first hole-in-one at Shadow Ridge. She competed in numerous state tournaments and especially enjoyed traveling to Scottsbluff, Nebraska, for the Western, where she loved both the competition and the friendships formed with the “top-shelf friendly” ladies who played there. She also enjoyed beating Ed and Guy regularly over the years. Jill’s competitive spirit extended beyond golf. She once rolled an impressive 276 in bowling league play and cherished the camaraderie and friendships that came with it. She also played coed soccer and softball for several years in Omaha. She loved the ski slopes of Colorado and enjoyed many, memorable trips with family and friends over the years. She also enjoyed music, writing poetry, gardening, and caring for animals, especially the many beloved family dogs and cats who were part of her life. Jill was an enthusiastic sports fan who loved cheering on Pittsburg State football, Kansas basketball, and the Kansas City Chiefs. She held a deep sense of pride in her country and was a proud and patriotic American. Our beloved “Grandma Jill” is survived by her loving husband, Edward Dean Jukes; her children, Edward Guy Jukes and wife Terri Jukes, Edi Jane Jukes, and Ty Wesley Jukes; her grandchildren, Brad, Kyle, Jake, Rhett, Sydney, Cade, Justin, and Elsie Jukes; and her great-grandchildren, Weston, Bowen, and Lucy Jukes. She was preceded in death by her father, Joseph James Parker II; her mother, Lucille Jane Parker; and her brother, Joseph James “Jay” Parker III. Visitation will be held Thursday, March 26, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at Reichmuth Funeral Home Omaha/Elkhorn, 21901 W. Maple Road, Elkhorn, Nebraska. A memorial service will be held Friday, March 27, at 11:00 AM at Reichmuth Funeral Home – Omaha/Elkhorn. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Elkhorn Public Schools Foundation, 20272 Veterans Drive, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022, or Nebraska Wildlife Rehab, 9777 M Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68127. Jill’s greatest joy in life was her family. She loved deeply, laughed easily, and never missed a chance to cheer on the people she loved. Our home was always brighter because of her—whether she was telling stories, sharing a glass of wine, offering encouragement, or simply sitting with us and enjoying the moment. She had a gift for bringing people together and making life feel a little warmer, a little funnier, and a lot more meaningful. While our hearts are heavy, we are grateful—for her love, for her life, and for the memories we will carry with us always. Jill will forever be part of who we are, and she will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered every day.

Jill Day Jukes

December 20, 1946 - March 13, 2026