In Loving Memory of Janie, a wife, mom, nanny, sister, friend, and so much more.

 There are some people who simply make the world a little better because they were in it. Our mom was one of those people.

 If you knew Mom, you knew her smile. It was one of the things people remember most about her. She had a warmth about her that made people feel welcomed, cared for, and loved. Whether you knew her for fifty years or only crossed paths with her a few times, she had a way of leaving a little piece of her kindness with you.

 Mom loved people. But most of all, she loved her family. 

She was a loving wife, a devoted mom, a precious Nanny, and a faithful friend. She believed in her family, encouraged us, prayed for us, and loved us through every season of life. Her love wasn't complicated. It was steady. It was genuine. It was always there. 

And Mom had a way of loving people through the simple things, too. She made the best desserts, and somehow everything she made seemed to taste a little better because it came from her kitchen. Those desserts weren't just food, they were another way she loved people, gathered them around her, and made ordinary moments feel special. 

Mom was also a prayer warrior. 

She believed in Jesus. She trusted Him. She carried people to Him in prayer, and her faith was woven into the way she lived her life. She didn't have to have all the answers because she knew the One who did. 

Fred Rogers once said, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping."

When we think about Mom, we don't have to look very far. 

She was one of the helpers.                                                                                                                                                                       She was the one who encouraged.                                                                                                                                                         The one who welcomed.                                                                                                                                                                         The one who prayed.                                                                                                                                                                             The one who cared. 

She may never have thought of herself as doing anything extraordinary. But sometimes the most extraordinary lives are built out of ordinary acts of love, repeated faithfully over a lifetime. 

That was Mom. 

And that is why her absence feels so big. 

We are heartbroken. We miss her. There is an empty place in our family that cannot simply be filled with words. But our grief does not mean we have lost our hope. 

Because Mom knew Jesus.

 And because she knew Jesus, we believe this is not the end of her story.

 We can almost imagine heaven right now—a little louder than usual as Mom is welcomed home by her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The woman who spent so much of her life praying to Him is now standing in His presence.

 What a homecoming.

And while we don't understand everything God allows, we hold tightly to the promise of Romans 8:28:

 “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

We don't believe that means everything that happens is good.

Losing Mom is not something we would call good.

 But we believe God is still good. 

We believe He is still faithful. We believe He is still working, even in the places we cannot yet understand. And we believe that one day, what is painful now will make sense in the presence of Jesus.

Psalm 34:18 reminds us, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted." 

So today, we grieve because we loved her deeply. 

We will miss her smile.                                                                                                                                                                               We will miss her voice.                                                                                                                                                                           We will miss her prayers.                                                                                                                                                                         We will miss her encouragement.                                                                                                                                                           We will miss the way she made people feel welcome.                                                                                                                               We will miss simply having her here. 

And we will especially miss watching her be Nanny. 

But we are thankful.                                                                                                                                                                                 Thankful for every conversation.                                                                                                                                                             Thankful for every hug.                                                                                                                                                                           Thankful for every prayer.                                                                                                                                                                       Thankful for every laugh.                                                                                                                                                                         Thankful for every dessert made with love.                                                                                                                                              Thankful for every memory.                                                                                                                                                                   Thankful that God chose her to be our mom.

Her life was a gift. Her love was a gift. Her prayers were a gift. And now her greatest gift has been received—the gift of being with Jesus. 

We love you, miss you so much, but will see you again. 

Visitation will be held on Friday, October 9, 2026, at Harrell Funeral Home from 5:00-7:00pm. Services will be held Saturday, October 10, 2026, at Timber Ridge Church beginning 1:00pm. Interment to follow at Round Grove Cemetery.