Janet's daughter, Cat Hallett, wrote this about her mother.
"My mom passed away Saturday evening, June 20.
"She was a remarkable woman who loved her family deeply and devoted much of her life to caring for others. Strong, determined, and unwavering in her convictions, she had a way of pushing people to be their best while always wanting the very best for them. She was not only a mother to me and my three siblings, but over the years she also opened her heart and home to many foster children.
"You never wanted to disappoint her. Not because she demanded perfection, but because her respect mattered. She challenged people to do better, and more often than not, she was right.
"The last few years were difficult as Lewy body dementia slowly took so much from her. But that disease never defined her. When I think of my mom, I think of her strength, her conviction, her fierce devotion to family, and the many lives she helped shape.
"Thank you to everyone who has reached out and supported our family during this difficult time.
"Love you, Mom. You will be deeply missed and forever remembered."
Janet was my first best friend in elementary school. We remained friends throughout the rest of our years. I went to her wedding, her daughter’s installation into Rainbow Girls, the weddings of her children and major birthdays. She came to my wedding ten years ago.
I told her that I remembered she came into our class as the new girl and that she had on a jumper with a lady bug pin on it. We disagreed about the color of the jumper but agreed on the lady bug. She continued to favor them and gave lady bug pins to her lady friends for years to come. Her father worked in advertising and had Ice Capades as a client. More than once a group of us girls had front row seats at the Disney show and I saved pixie dust that Tinkerbell scattered for years. Janet's was the first house where I stayed over night with a friend. We grew up together, really.
She always worked hard and usually ended up being the manager wherever it was that she was working; people went to her if there was a problem or confusion. She handled situations with calm, logic and grace. She raised her family the same way but with ever so much love added in. I was eating dinner with them one night and one of the children was doing something she didn’t think was appropriate. A mere look was enough to stop the behavior. But by and large, the evening was one of everyone chipping in to the tasks and everyone sharing in the laughter.
You see above by what her daughter wrote that Janet was a beloved mother to her and her three brothers. But one of Janet’s shining gifts was to take in “hard to place” foster children and make them feel a part of the family also. I once said to her that she made the kids feel important. She emphatically said, “They are important.” One young man stayed on with Janet long after he turned 18. He said to me, “I’ll stay with Mom as long as she needs me.” She could make kids feel that way. She fostered over 30 children and said that every so often she would be somewhere and some functioning adult, from where they were working, would call out, “Mom!” What a gift to those children but Janet would say that they were the gift to her.
I’ll sorely miss her. But I began to miss her some time ago as she was ebbing away due to her illness. I remember her resolve, her resilience, her laughter, her smile and her sweet voice that I have on a voicemail message and have kept for some years now. She surely takes with her a piece of our history but leaves memories and so much respect and love. Fare thee well.
To Cat, Linda and all the friends and family of Janet...
I don't recall Janet to be honest, but Linda is a dear childhood friend and her words about Janet are moving. Janet sounds like a person who was truly blessed by God to bring His love into this world. May she rest in peace and be an inspiration to many others to follow in her footsteps.
I remember Janet well. She was a great friend and I can recall, as Linda said, our trip to see the Ice Capades courtesy of her Dad. Good memories of bygone years! RIP, Janet.
Linda Larson (Ashley)
Janet's daughter, Cat Hallett, wrote this about her mother.
"My mom passed away Saturday evening, June 20.
"She was a remarkable woman who loved her family deeply and devoted much of her life to caring for others. Strong, determined, and unwavering in her convictions, she had a way of pushing people to be their best while always wanting the very best for them. She was not only a mother to me and my three siblings, but over the years she also opened her heart and home to many foster children.
"You never wanted to disappoint her. Not because she demanded perfection, but because her respect mattered. She challenged people to do better, and more often than not, she was right.
"The last few years were difficult as Lewy body dementia slowly took so much from her. But that disease never defined her. When I think of my mom, I think of her strength, her conviction, her fierce devotion to family, and the many lives she helped shape.
"Thank you to everyone who has reached out and supported our family during this difficult time.
"Love you, Mom. You will be deeply missed and forever remembered."
Copied and posted by Linda Larson Ashley
Linda Larson (Ashley)
Janet was my first best friend in elementary school. We remained friends throughout the rest of our years. I went to her wedding, her daughter’s installation into Rainbow Girls, the weddings of her children and major birthdays. She came to my wedding ten years ago.
I told her that I remembered she came into our class as the new girl and that she had on a jumper with a lady bug pin on it. We disagreed about the color of the jumper but agreed on the lady bug. She continued to favor them and gave lady bug pins to her lady friends for years to come. Her father worked in advertising and had Ice Capades as a client. More than once a group of us girls had front row seats at the Disney show and I saved pixie dust that Tinkerbell scattered for years. Janet's was the first house where I stayed over night with a friend. We grew up together, really.
She always worked hard and usually ended up being the manager wherever it was that she was working; people went to her if there was a problem or confusion. She handled situations with calm, logic and grace. She raised her family the same way but with ever so much love added in. I was eating dinner with them one night and one of the children was doing something she didn’t think was appropriate. A mere look was enough to stop the behavior. But by and large, the evening was one of everyone chipping in to the tasks and everyone sharing in the laughter.
You see above by what her daughter wrote that Janet was a beloved mother to her and her three brothers. But one of Janet’s shining gifts was to take in “hard to place” foster children and make them feel a part of the family also. I once said to her that she made the kids feel important. She emphatically said, “They are important.” One young man stayed on with Janet long after he turned 18. He said to me, “I’ll stay with Mom as long as she needs me.” She could make kids feel that way. She fostered over 30 children and said that every so often she would be somewhere and some functioning adult, from where they were working, would call out, “Mom!” What a gift to those children but Janet would say that they were the gift to her.
I’ll sorely miss her. But I began to miss her some time ago as she was ebbing away due to her illness. I remember her resolve, her resilience, her laughter, her smile and her sweet voice that I have on a voicemail message and have kept for some years now. She surely takes with her a piece of our history but leaves memories and so much respect and love. Fare thee well.
John "Jack" Dempster
To Cat, Linda and all the friends and family of Janet...
I don't recall Janet to be honest, but Linda is a dear childhood friend and her words about Janet are moving. Janet sounds like a person who was truly blessed by God to bring His love into this world. May she rest in peace and be an inspiration to many others to follow in her footsteps.
Jill Jackson
I remember Janet well. She was a great friend and I can recall, as Linda said, our trip to see the Ice Capades courtesy of her Dad. Good memories of bygone years! RIP, Janet.