Janet Stutzman
Obituary
Janet Eileen Unruh Stutzman, 66, died
on Monday (Dec. 17, 2018) at home in Hesston. She was born in
Perryton, Texas, Sept. 21, 1952, the first of four children in the
Eli and Marge (Holdeman) Unruh family. Jan was baptized at the age of
12 at Glennon Heights (Colorado) Mennonite Church. She graduated from
Lakewood (Colorado) High School in 1970, Hesston College in 1972, and
Goshen (Indiana) College in 1974, earning a bachelor's degree in
social work.
Jan served (1976-1977) with Mennonite
Voluntary Service at Teen Girls Home in London, Ontario, Canada. She
returned to Hesston College, working as director of developmental
studies and tutoring services, resident director and as an admissions
advocate from 1977 to 1982.
She married Dallas Stutzman on July 11,
1981, in Lakewood, Colorado. They lived in Greeley, Colorado, for 10
years, where Jan worked as a family service coordinator for the
Salvation Army and as youth coordinator for Rocky Mountain Mennonite
Conference. She was an active member of the Greeley Mennonite Church.
Their son, Todd Landon, was born Nov. 30, 1987.
The family moved to Hesston in 1991 and
Kara Lynn was born on Feb. 18, 1992. Jan ran a family daycare for 13
years. She considered the children in her care as an expansion of her
family and raised them with love.
Jan worked for Hutchinson Community
College as a paraprofessional for student tutoring education programs
from 2003 to 2018. She immensely enjoyed mentoring and counseling
students and serving the less fortunate in the Hutchinson community.
She was involved at Whitestone Mennonite Church as Whitestone on
Wednesday director, Sunday school teacher and superintendent and gave
leadership to church-wide committees.
Her family, marriage and children were
her greatest joy and she saw parenting as her most important
responsibility. She enjoyed her children's extracurricular
activities, reading, traveling, crafting and spending time with
friends and extended family. Jan always cherished time at the family
cabin - Star Peak in Colorado.
Jan learned of her diagnosis with ALS
in spring of 2018. She faced - and fought - the disease by being
positive, having courage and extending and receiving grace.
Jan is survived by her husband, Dallas;
children, Todd (Topeka) and Kara (Charlottesville, Virginia);
sister-in-law, Patsy King Unruh (Perryton, Texas); sister, Donice and
John Manos (LaVeta, Colorado); brother, Lowell and Pam (Gerig) Unruh
(Wayland, Iowa); 15 nieces, nephews and spouses; and 18 grand-nieces
and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her
parents; and brother, Doug Unruh.
A memorial service will be held at
10:30 a.m. Friday (Dec. 21, 2018) at Whitestone Mennonite Church, 621
Crescent Dr., Hesston, KS 67062. A luncheon will follow. A visitation
will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday (Dec. 20, 2018) at the church.
Private internment will take place on a later date at Whitestone
Mennonite Church Columbarium.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests
memorial gifts be sent in care of Whitestone Mennonite Church.
Designation can be made to Hesston College Student Life, Hutchinson
Community College Rimmer Learning Resource Center and Mennonite
Central Committee.
