Faith That Works Award recipient: Jennifer Whaley
By Jeff Kurowski | For On Mission
Photography by Scott Eastman | For On Mission
NEENAH — Sitting at a table in the St. Gabriel Elementary School library, Jennifer Whaley scans the room with surrounding shelves of books and breaks out a smile.
“This is my happy place,” she said. “It’s such a blessing to be here.”
Whaley works as a library assistant at all five St. Mary Catholic Schools — St. Gabriel Catholic Elementary School, St. Margaret Mary Catholic Elementary School, St. Mary Catholic Middle School and St. Mary Catholic High School, all in Neenah, and St. Mary Catholic Elementary School in Menasha. She also serves as a substitute teacher.
Whaley, a member of St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish, began at the parish school as a parent volunteer. Her son, Charlie, is now in 10th grade at St. Mary Catholic High School, and her daughter, Abby, is in seventh grade at the middle school.
“St. Gabe’s is my home. Both of my children came here in 4K,” she said. “We (Whaley and her husband Chad) started (in Neenah) 20 years ago. It’s such an amazing area to raise kids.”
Whaley was born in Rhinelander but grew up in Alabama after moving to Tuscaloosa at age 2.
“My dad (Thomas Wingenter) worked for the University of Alabama system. He originally worked for the University of Wisconsin system,” she said. “He wanted a change. My mom (Mary Beth) prayed for something a little south. My dad came home and said, ‘Alabama.’ My mom said, ‘Not that far south.’”
Whaley grew up as a member of Holy Spirit Parish in Tuscaloosa and attended the parish elementary school and then Holy Spirit Catholic High School.
She has fond childhood memories of visiting her maternal grandparents (William and Catherine Rebholz) in the Milwaukee area.
“That was our vacation, she said. “We would pile into a van and would drive through the night to go to Grandma’s house for a week. I always wanted to get back to Wisconsin.”
Her late Grandma Rebholz served as a faith example, Whaley said.
“I find myself doing things that she did. She did church linens; I do church linens. That was passed on. She’s still with me. A song will come on, one of her favorites, and I think to myself, ‘Hey Grandma, I hear you.’”
Whaley met Chad, an Alabama native, while attending the University of Alabama. Following graduation, they moved to the Fox Valley for positions at Kimberly-Clark.
“My husband loves the four seasons,” she said. “He loves ice fishing and skiing. He’s embraced all things Wisconsin. I knew what to expect. He really fell in love with the area.”
The transition to living in Wisconsin had some challenges, Whaley said.
“In the church I grew up in, I knew all the faces,” she said. “Nobody knew me here, so it was hard to find a place. We really found it when my son started school. It started with volunteer opportunities. We don’t have family here, so it became our family.”
Whaley got to know school families through attending PTO meetings. She started as a volunteer in the St. Gabriel Elementary School library when her daughter was in 4K.
“As I became more comfortable, I was able to volunteer and do more things,” she said. “I became PTO president. I absolutely loved it. I loved the moms I met during that time.”
Whaley said that one of the goals during her time as PTO president was to provide service opportunities for working parents.
“They could donate meals for the teachers,” she said. “If you can give an hour a year, we’ll take it. We will meet you where you’re at.”
The text for her nomination for the Faith That Works Award demonstrates that Whaley’s work and service to the schools go hand-in-hand:
“Jen embodies the ideal of servant leadership. She has been instrumental over the years in leading the many school community events at St. Gabriel, including Grandparents’ Day, Trunk or Treat, Christmas Sweets, Muffins with Mom and Donuts with Dad, staff meals, popcorn days for the students and more.
She is a constant presence in our school, offering to help with preschool library time, substitute teaching, office work, cafeteria help and anywhere that is in need of an extra pair of hands. When the students see her, their faces light up and they run to her for a big hug. Jen does all of these things with a heart full of genuine love, joy and generosity.”
Whaley said that she sees her position at St. Mary Catholic Schools as a way to help and “take care of people.”
In April 2022, she needed to learn to allow people to take care of her, she said. Whaley was diagnosed with breast cancer.
“It wasn’t easy, but I had so much support,” she said. “If someone would have asked me what I needed, I would have said ‘nothing.’ A mom said, ‘I’m going to start a meal train for you.’ She knew what I needed.”
Whaley said that she found comfort in the school environment.
“It was easy to bring my best self here,” she said. “The children were so uplifting. To be here, to be prayed for, it really was the medicine my soul needed.”
“I always said that I believed in the power of prayer, and I do,” she added, “but I truly could feel people’s prayers. It was truly a physical feeling.”
Whaley completed treatment in January 2023. She said that her illness both reaffirmed and grew her faith.
“It was the weirdest and greatest gift I’ve been given,” she said. “Prior to getting cancer, there were so many things I took for granted. When I was sick, there were times when I couldn’t open a can of soda or walk up stairs. I’m in awe of the support I received.”
Whaley, who serves on the parish council at St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish, said that she appreciates the opportunity to live out and talk about her faith in the workplace.
“It’s wonderful to talk about God. We had a lady from the owl rescue at school. She asked if she could talk about God. I said, ‘Yes, we like him here. We’re big fans,’” said Whaley with a laugh.
“I’ve felt like my life’s been led in a certain direction,” she said in reflection. “I feel the need to give back because I’ve been so blessed. I pray that I can truly be a blessing to people, that I can make the kids smile. I feel good when I’m able to give to others.”
