Janet Marie

Janet Marie was born in the middle of a dust storm on March 10, 1935 to Carl and Esther (Erickson) Lindquist of Funk, Nebraska. She graduated from Axtell High School in 1952 and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1956. She met Rex Meyer through their associations with Love Memorial Hall, FarmHouse Fraternity, and the Lutheran Student Association. They married in 1957 and moved to the family farm in Phillips where she lived until her recent hospitalization.







Jan taught high school home economics, first at Stromsburg and then in Aurora, where she established the home economics department. After her children were born, she worked as a substitute teacher, 4-H fair judge, and with Rex on the farm. She and Rex enjoyed several trips together and were particularly captivated by the sights of Hawaii. Jan continued to travel after his death in 1995, visiting more than 20 countries and sharing an appreciation for all cultures with her friends and family.







Jan didn't know the word "no" and thoroughly enjoyed her volunteer responsibilities at church and in the community whether it was teaching Confirmation, serving coffee hour, delivering homebound communion, playing piano for nursing home residents, pronouncing spelling words for the county spelling bee, or helping with the Red Cross bloodmobile and county election board.







She believed in youth education, and especially the 4-H program. In addition to leading her children's 4-H clubs, she judged at county fairs and the Nebraska State Fair for more than 50 years. She was a founding member of UNL Extension's Family, Youth, and Community Partners' advocacy efforts. She enjoyed serving on the Hamilton County Community Foundation Scholarship Committee, a commitment she kept for 52 years. She also served on the Mosaic Foundation Board of Directors and was especially proud of her family's ties to the original Bethphage Mission in Axtell.







But her grandchildren were always the priority and she planned her volunteer commitments around their activitieswhether those events were held at college or elementary school.







Janet passed away on January 21st after a short hospitalization and a brief stay at The Monarch in Lincoln. She showed an interest in those around her until the end and found something or someone in common with nearly every doctor, nurse, and aide she met. "Sweet" is the word medical staff used most frequently in their notes about her care.







She is survived by her daughter Karna (Ken) Converse of Storm Lake, Iowa; son Kevin (Denise) of Lincoln, and grandchildren Nathan, Geoffrey, and Ellen Converse of Storm Lake and Elsa and Owen Meyer of Lincoln. She is also survived by a sister-in-law and her husband, Joan (Wayne) White; nieces and nephew; and cousins. She was preceded in death by her husband, Rex.







Memorials may be made to St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Mosaic Foundation, or the Hamilton County Community Foundation.