Stephanie G. Jennings

Stephanie G. Jennings Obituary

April 5, 2025 - Simi Valley, CA

With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Stephanie Gevurtz Jennings, aged 76, of Simi Valley, California, on April 5, 2025, surrounded by her loving family. Her loss leaves a profound void in the lives of her family, friends, and the countless people she inspired. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her. Stephanie's life was a shining example of kindness, resilience, integrity, and service. She was a source of inspiration and comfort to everyone fortunate enough to cross her path. 

Stephanie was born on May 5, 1948, in Los Angeles, California, to Dr. William S. Gevurtz and Zelma Gevurtz. She was a devoted mother to her three children, Zel, Melissa, and Sarah; grandmother to Lauryn, William, and Zackary; sister to Diane and Jack; aunt to Mike, Vickie, and Heidi; mother-in-law to Eric Thomas and Joshua Ludwick; and a cherished colleague and friend to many throughout her life.

Early Life and Family

Stephanie’s early childhood in Los Angeles was shaped by her father, Dr. William Gevurtz, a heart specialist who inspired her deep commitment to service. Her mother, Zelma, taught her the importance of family, a value that would define her life. After her father’s passing when she was just 10 years old, Stephanie and her mother relocated to Butte, Montana, where her mother remarried Sigmund Meyer on Valentine’s Day in 1960. In Butte, Stephanie was blessed with the joy of a new sister, Diane, whom she cherished deeply. Diane and her husband Jack shared an unbreakable bond with Stephanie, often calling her their beloved “thista,” a term of endearment that reflected their lifelong closeness. 

Stephanie’s love for Butte remained steadfast, and she always felt a deep connection to the community. She attended Butte High School, where she met her future husband, Paul Jennings, in Algebra class. In Butte, with her sister Diane, she became involved in The International Order of Rainbow for Girls, where she made lasting friendships and performed many acts of service. She was installed as the Worthy Advisor for Butte Assembly #4 in 1966, and it was one of her greatest honors to see her daughter, Melissa, serve as the Grand Worthy Advisor for the state of Montana years later. Stephanie served the Rainbow girls for years following as an adult advisor and created and edited the Rainbow newsletter.

Education, Marriage, and Family Life

Stephanie went on to attend USC and later Montana State University in Bozeman, where she graduated in 1972 with a degree in education. In the same year, she and Paul welcomed their first daughter, Zel, into their lives. Stephanie embraced motherhood with unwavering devotion, always guided by the values of love, compassion, and the importance of family.

Stephanie and Paul were active members of the Montana Jaycees and Jayceens in the 1970s, with Stephanie serving as President of the Jayceens at the state level. She had a perfect balance of intelligence and empathy that made her an incredible and inspiring leader. In the late 1970s, they welcomed two more daughters, Melissa and Sarah, and Stephanie poured her heart into raising them. Though she and Paul eventually divorced, Stephanie’s commitment to her children remained absolute. She raised her daughters to be strong, independent, loving, and generous, always encouraging them to give back to the community.

Some of her daughters most cherished memories were the long car rides singing together, and how she made every holiday feel like magic, baking fresh French bread every Sunday, encouraging us to be ourselves and to stand up for what we believed in, comforting us when life was hard and reminding us that the sun would come up tomorrow. She had a gift for making everyone feel special.

 Her grandson Zackary captures her spirit best in his own words:

Stephanie was an exceptional mother, grandmother, friend and mentor. She displayed countless acts of love to family, friends and even strangers every day. To say she was a great person is not only an understatement but a minimization of her integrity and the strength of her character. The name and memory of Stephanie Jennings will live in the hearts and minds of many people. Stephanie virtually dedicated her life to helping and serving others through organizations like Kiwanis and Weight Watchers and donations to charity. She was always there for those who needed help. Stephanie was the wisest person I know and she would give us life advice with a smile on her face. Stephanie was truly inspirational every day completing her workout routine, helping people tirelessly and walking every day while facing the struggles of COPD. Although she had COPD she never let it consume her thoughts or hold her back and always stayed positive. Stephanie Jennings is without a doubt someone we should all aspire to be and to follow her example of frequent acts of love, strength, perseverance and kindness.  

Career and Legacy of Service

Stephanie had a distinguished career in public relations, starting as a field representative for Montana Congressman Pat Williams in the late 1980s. She worked closely with the Vietnam Veterans group Tripwire, playing an instrumental role in creating memorials, advocating for veterans' benefits, and helping to establish programs in their honor. In recognition of her work, a flag was flown in her name over the United States Capitol.

Following Congressman Williams' retirement, Stephanie continued her public service career with the EPA, working on the cleanup of Butte’s mining legacy. She later joined Advanced Sciences, Inc., working with the EPA and DOE on environmental projects in Butte, Idaho Falls, and Carlsbad, New Mexico. In her final years of employment, she was thrilled to work for the DOE in Washington, D.C., and later in Simi Valley, California, where she had the joy of being near her grandchildren. It was the special joy of her life to be there to be so close with her three grandchildren Lauryn, William and Zack. She was a dedicated employee and the very definition of hard working, putting 110% into everything she undertook.

After retiring from government service, Stephanie took on a new role that brought her joy and purpose: working as a Weight Watchers coach. A longtime member herself, she guided others with the same compassion and dedication she brought to everything. One member wrote, “We always knew that Stephie cared about each of us individually; and we knew she loved us and cared about our journey.”

That lifelong thread of service also led her to the Kiwanis Club of Simi Valley. Stephanie especially loved her work with the K-Kids program and the meaningful friendships she formed. She served as President of the Kiwanis Club from 2022–2023 and remained active on the board.

Final Arrangements

Stephanie was preceded in death by her father, Dr. William S. Gevurtz; her mother, Zelma Gevurtz; her daughter, Zel Jennings; her sister, Diane Sherick; and her niece, Vicki Sherick Hawkesworth. She is survived by her daughters Melissa Thomas (Eric), Sarah Jennings (Joshua), her grandchildren Lauryn, William, and Zackary Thomas, her brother-in-law Jack Sherick, and many nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, and grand-nephews.

A memorial service will be held on April 22, 2025, at 10:00 AM at Mt. Sinai Memorial Parks and Mortuaries in Simi Valley (6150 Mt. Sinai Drive). A reception will follow at 12:30 PM. Details for the reception will be provided at the service or by request.

In lieu of flowers, the family invites you to donate to a scholarship fund being established in Stephanie’s name; 

You can donate using Zelle to the email address melissamthomas3@gmail.com 

Or send by mail to 

Melissa Thomas 

3106 Galena Ave 

Simi Valley, CA 93065