Jenny Lynn Gaha

Jenny Lynn (Olson) Gaha: 1962 – 2025

On February 15, 2025, the world lost Jenny Gaha, a woman who loved people. She extended her hospitality to all those around her, taking pleasure in cooking and hosting events. The worst-kept secret is that the Choir at Second Presbyterian Church made her social chair so they could coax her into extending that hospitality to them.

Jen was born in South Bend, Indiana in 1962 to Robert and Carolyn Olson who raised her in Christ's footsteps to give First Fruits to others. She graduated from Riley High School in South Bend in 1980. She earned her B.S. in Science from Indiana University—South Bend and her Masters in Education from Indiana Wesleyan.

Jen met her handsome groom, Adam Gaha, in April 1997 at Lebanon High School where she was a science teacher and he was a substitute teacher. It was love at first sight, and they married in October 1997, excited to start a family and create a life together.

They adopted, Simon, in 2002, at age 6 months from Russia—where Jen had lived a year (1993 – 1994) extending the Gospel in the Great Commission ministry. Jen and Adam adopted an older sister for Simon in 2007 from Ukraine, a beautiful seven-year old, Lucy.

The greatest accomplishment and role for Jen was as Grams to her three granddaughters: Willow, Brielle, and Blair. She loved gathering them in her lap to read storybooks and to sing nursery rhymes.

As a biology teacher and lover of God's Creation, Jen maintained a household of pets. Not only did she have cats and dogs, but over the years she also had iguanas, flying squirrels, bunnies, and other rescued animals in need of a nurturing home where they could have sanctuary and be nursed back to health.

Jen loved gardening, and each late Summer and Fall, friends and family excitedly awaited her simple & fresh batches of homemade salsa, made with love and ingredients from her garden. The botanist in her maintained an overabundance of plants and flowers, both in her classroom and around her home.

Jen was an educator, both professionally and personally. She taught at Brownsburg High School from 1991 – 1993 and at Lebanon High School from 1994 – 2025. She was anticipating retiring in May 2026. Her students loved her Biology courses, where her hands-on labs many times provided them the opportunity to eat their homework.

Services for Jenny Lynn (Olson) Gaha are Saturday, March 1, 2025, at Second Presbyterian Church: 7700 N Meridian St, Indianapolis. The service is at 2:00 pm, followed by a gathering afterward from 3:00 – 5:00 pm. Those attending are encouraged to dress brightly for her Celebration of Life to reflect on the legacy she created.