Genevieve (Jenny) Elise Henriksen passed away suddenly on March 8, 2020. Jenny was born in Hoquiam, Washington on October 3, 1996, to Anne-Marie Henriksen and John Watkins. Jenny lived with her mother in Ocean Shores until the age of 13. As a child, Jenny enjoyed spending time with her older sister Marina and playing with her many cousins and friends. Jenny loved swimming, spending time in the outdoors, going to the beach, especially the jetty at Ocean Shores. She also had a great love for animals, especially dogs.
In 2009, Jenny moved to the Seattle area to live with her sister Marina Pirkle. The bond between the two sisters grew even stronger during this time. Jenny and Marina enjoyed going on many travel adventures, to Hawaii, New Mexico and California to name a few. In the fall of 2014, Jenny moved to Vashon Island to live with her cousin “Duncle Bill” Rowe. Bill and his daughters grew very close to Jenny, becoming part of Bill’s loving and accepting family. She made many close friends on the island with her warm, generous spirit. Jenny graduated from Vashon High School in June of 2015 and worked for a few years at local Vashon restaurants.
In 2017, Jenny moved to Lakewood, WA to be a nanny for her cousin Tim DeShazer and Brittany Perse’s daughter Lenny. Jenny also completed the certification process for fitness trainer in the fall of 2019. While living in Lakewood, she also worked as a waitress and a fitness trainer.
Jenny loved to travel and saved money for her “travel fund”. Her first adventure was a trip to Jamaica in September of 2015 where she volunteered at an elementary school as a teaching aid. She was loved by all the children and staff, the children calling her Auntie Jenny. While in Jamaica, she took the opportunity to experience the culture and beauty of the island and its people. She traveled to Hawaii several times with friends and family, to Austin to see Marina and to New Zealand.
Jenny was preceded in death by her father, John Watkins and her maternal and paternal grandparents. Jenny is survived by her mother Anne-Marie Henriksen and her sister Marina Pirkle, as well as numerous aunts and uncles, cousins and many friends. Jenny had a kind, loving spirit, wonderful sense of humor and was wise beyond her years. She was a hard worker, endless giver and a loyal friend to all who knew her. Our world is a little less bright without Jenny’s spirit.
Due to the Covid-19 outbreak, we are unable to have a gathering to honor Jenny at this time. In lieu of flowers, Jenny’s family recommends contributions to your local food bank.
