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| Halcyon House |
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| Dad ready for visitation |
Janet was
born October 23, 1930, in West Chester, Iowa, the daughter of Gale and Phyllis
(Fisher) Reif. Janet graduated from West Chester High School in the spring of
1948 and about 5 months before that graduation Janet was united in marriage to
Joe Bauer on December 27, 1947, at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa.
Janet lived in the West Chester Community area her entire life. She was an active member of this church, the West Chester United Methodist Church, where she was involved with the United Methodist Women (UMW). She held offices of UMW at the District and State level. Janet was Worthy Matron of the Order of the Eastern Star and also served as a grand officer. She was a 4-H leader for many years while Bob and Vicky, Jane and Judy were active in 4-H. After her family, Janet’s flower gardens were her pride and joy. The countless hours she spent caring for her flowers was evident in the meticulous weed-free flower gardens. Janet was a devoted wife, mother and a proud grandmother.
Janet is survived by her husband of seventy years, Joe Bauer of West Chester, IA; son, Robert (Lori) Bauer of Washington, IA; daughter, Vicky (Don) Showalter of Colorado Springs, CO; daughter, Jane (Jim) Beranek of Charles City, IA; daughter, Judy Showalter of Kalona, IA and friend Jim Windy; by eleven grandchildren, Chris (Jody) Bauer, Matt (Bethany) Bauer, Melissa (Scott) Kahler, Brent (April) Showalter, Jami Beranek and friend Ryan Beckman, Jonna (Zach) Junker, Jenni (Ryan) Cunningham, Jessi Beranek, Annie (Luke) Gingerich, Chad (Sarah) Showalter, Josh (Katie) Showalter, as well as 26 great-grandchildren. Janet is also survived by her brother, William (Marge) Reif and numerous nieces and nephews.
Janet was preceded in death by her parents; two sisters – Donna Lincicum and Pat Johnson; and a by a great-grandson, Elijah Cunningham.
Janet lived in the West Chester Community area her entire life. She was an active member of this church, the West Chester United Methodist Church, where she was involved with the United Methodist Women (UMW). She held offices of UMW at the District and State level. Janet was Worthy Matron of the Order of the Eastern Star and also served as a grand officer. She was a 4-H leader for many years while Bob and Vicky, Jane and Judy were active in 4-H. After her family, Janet’s flower gardens were her pride and joy. The countless hours she spent caring for her flowers was evident in the meticulous weed-free flower gardens. Janet was a devoted wife, mother and a proud grandmother.
Janet is survived by her husband of seventy years, Joe Bauer of West Chester, IA; son, Robert (Lori) Bauer of Washington, IA; daughter, Vicky (Don) Showalter of Colorado Springs, CO; daughter, Jane (Jim) Beranek of Charles City, IA; daughter, Judy Showalter of Kalona, IA and friend Jim Windy; by eleven grandchildren, Chris (Jody) Bauer, Matt (Bethany) Bauer, Melissa (Scott) Kahler, Brent (April) Showalter, Jami Beranek and friend Ryan Beckman, Jonna (Zach) Junker, Jenni (Ryan) Cunningham, Jessi Beranek, Annie (Luke) Gingerich, Chad (Sarah) Showalter, Josh (Katie) Showalter, as well as 26 great-grandchildren. Janet is also survived by her brother, William (Marge) Reif and numerous nieces and nephews.
Janet was preceded in death by her parents; two sisters – Donna Lincicum and Pat Johnson; and a by a great-grandson, Elijah Cunningham.
Funeral was Friday, January 12 at the West Chester United Methodist Church.
As we come together here this morning to celebrate and
give thanks for Janet’s life I hope we can do so with great joy in our hearts,
in spite of our sorrow, for Janet lived a wonderful life and I know she would
say she was truly blessed throughout all of her life. And I think each and every one of us can say we
have been truly blessed by and through Janet’s life.
As I began to think about what I would share about Janet
I thought about words I would use to describe her… they may be the some of the
same words you would share but if they are not please share your words
with each other and with the family members and so celebrate Janet’s life and
bless one another in doing so…
Here are some of my words: Devoted woman… Janet was a woman devoted first of all to our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ. Janet had a
tremendous faith and love for the Lord… It was a faith she poured into her
children and shared with all of her family and friends. It was a faith that was nurtured in this
church for decades and shared through all of her hard work through this church
and through the United Methodist Women organization. She was a prayer warrior—growing up the
children could count on Janet coming to their beside and having Janet pray with
them and tell them that she loved them.
Each and every one of us as her family and friends were the subjects of
thousands of intercessory prayers lifted up on our behalf over the course of our
lives. We are taught in the Scriptures
that “The
earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results”
(James 5:16). If we were to share the
“wonderful results” of Janet’s prayers we would be here for a very, very long
time.
Janet was devoted to Joe and all the family. The love and devotion between Janet and Joe
has been a beautiful testimony to all of us as her family and has served as a
model of what a marriage looks like… (picture…)
Janet was devoted to her children—pouring her life into them… praying
for them… sewing for them and teaching them how to sew… helping with all of
their 4-H projects… driving them to piano and dance lessons… teaching them how
to cook and bake… how to refinish furniture… attending all their school and
sports activities… modeling how to manage a home…
Janet was devoted to her grandchildren—oh my where do you
begin!? I know I speak for all the
grandchildren here that it was a treat to come to Grandma Janet’s and Papa
Joe’s home for a weekend—you were treated like royalty; as if you were the most
important people on the earth—and you were to Grandma Janet. Spending time out in the flower gardens…
playing up in the tree stand… being treated to homemade pancakes in the
morning… being read to and playing games with you… praying over you… just
loving you unconditionally to the max… We came across a few pages of notes that Janet
made from a book she was reading—it had to do with the 10 Commandments of how
to love a grandchild: “You shall communicate energetically with your
grandchildren”; “You shall share your own unique talents with your
grandchildren”; “You shall explore the wonders of the past with your
grandchildren”; You shall open your home and heart to your grandchildren and
make your home a comfortable second home for them”; You shall add joy and good
memories to the lives of your grandchildren”; “You shall not continually
give gifts to your grandchildren”; “You shall use discipline and babysitting
authority with great care”; “You shall encourage your grandchildren to be
responsible members of a strong family”; “You shall not judge your children or
grandchildren, but work together to solve problems”; “You shall love each of
your grandchildren no matter what!”.
One of the wonderful blessings each grandchild experienced
is that they received a scrapbook from Janet on their graduation from High
School; it was a scrapbook filled with photographs Janet had taken of them as
they were growing up including encouraging notes. Here’s a sample of a note Janet wrote in one
of our daughter’s scrapbooks which I’m sure is reflected similarly in each
grandchild’s book: “… always remember
that you are unique; there is no one else like you. You are a child of a loving Lord and have
inherent and infinite worth.
Understanding that enables you to fulfill your unique potential, a
condition for abundant living. Hold on
to your dreams, if you believe you can do it, you will—happiness is inside
you. Love, Grandma”
More briefly… here are some other words:
Tireless worker… Janet could work you into the ground. I don’t know how many of our apartments and
houses Janet has helped clean over the years but when everybody was ready to
drop—Janet would keep plugging away. I’m
sure no one could count the number of cinnamon rolls or homemade noodles Janet
has made over the years for family or church functions…
Gracious hostess… Janet’s and Joe’s home has always been open
to family and friends and strangers who became friends… Janet warmly embraced
and invited into her home several teenage boys who came to steal her daughter’s
hearts and she treated them like family from the get-go… her roast beef, potato
and carrots and homemade noodles and pecan pie meal are treasures that will
never be forgotten or duplicated.
Meticulous
homemaker… Janet’s home was always neat as a pin and wonderfully decorated
with class and style. Her passion to
fall and spring clean lives on at least in one of her daughters as does Janet’s
sense of style…
Finally, Janet was a servant… It didn’t matter what Janet was called upon
to do or asked to do more than likely Janet would say “yes” because of her
servant’s heart. With a heart redeemed
by the grace and love of God Janet served Joe for 70 years as a faithful and
devoted wife… she served her children and grandchildren with an unconditional
and tireless love… with God-inspired energy Janet served her church and
affiliated organizations… and the list, well, it could go on and on… Jesus
said, “Whoever wants to be great
among you must be your servant… For even I, the Son of Man, came here not to be
served but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom for many” (Mark
10:44-45). Janet was a great wife,
mother, grandmother, and friend…
Janet was blessed to have her family with her around the
clock for the last week of her life on this good earth and I think the final
words they heard Janet speak were, “Take me home”. Janet loved her home there on Ivy Avenue… a
place she and Joe built and where they created so many beautiful memories and
where they blessed the lives of all her family and so many friends. Sadly, that home is going to feel a little
more empty now… just as there will be a sense of emptiness in each one of our
lives as the family and friends of Janet.
But let us take great comfort in knowing that Janet is home; save
and secure in a place we can only imagine—not taken from us, but graciously and
wondrously received into the arms of the Savior who no doubt spoke these words
to Janet… “Welcome home Janet, well done good and faithful servant.”
Family Time at the Farm after the Funeral
Family Time at the Farm after the Funeral
