Janet Yaeger

JANET R. YAEGER

Janet Ruth Yaeger, daughter of Richard and Minnie nee Hanenberger Windler, was born March 8, 1943 in Centralia, Illinois.  Later that month she was baptized at Trinity Lutheran Church, Nashville, IL where she also attended its parochial elementary school and was confirmed on Palm Sunday 1957.  In 1961 she graduated from Nashville High School and subsequently graduated in 1964 from the Lutheran School of Nursing in St. Louis where she received her R.N. diploma.

On March 7, 1964 at Trinity Lutheran Church, Nashville, IL she married John Norman Yaeger with whom she was privileged to enjoy nearly 55 years in the nuptial estate.  To this union were born two children, who with their families, survive.  They are John Scott (Maria) Yaeger with Lindsey Christine, Allison Renae, John Henry, Josiah Michael Yaeger; and Mark (Kelli) Yaeger with Mara Elysia Ann, Katarina Elizabeth Grace, and Eliot Savannah Skye Yaeger.  Also surviving are her sisters and brother-in-law Audrey (Albert) Moeller, Cynthia (Dennis) Banks, and Sharon (Kenneth) Groh along with their families.

Besides her husband Janet was preceded in death by her parents and her brother Donald Windler.

Following their marriage, Janet and John lived in Indiana while John served in the Air Force at Bunker Hill Air Force Base.  Scott was born there later that year.  John was later deployed to Okinawa, Japan.  During John’s deployment, Jan and Scott moved back to Nashville, IL and lived her parents.  Upon John’s return and discharge from the Air Force in 1967, the couple relocated to St. Louis, lived in an apartment on Gravois Road in Sappington and attended Lutheran Church of the Resurrection.  Mark was born in St. Louis approximately 9 months after John’s return from overseas deployment.  The family moved to South County in 1971 and their family became members of Peace Lutheran in 1972 where their affiliation since has remained.  Besides being a faithful worshiper, Jan assisted with Peace’s annual Boar’s Head Festival, sang in its Chancel Choir, played the French Horn in its orchestra, and was a member of its Ladies’ Guild and Couples’ Cub.

For nearly 40 years she remained an active R. N., (with her duties being interrupted for a time while raising her family) serving as a staff member at Mercy South (then St. Anthony’s Medical Center) until retirement in 2005 at age 62.  Jan enjoyed many hobbies through the years.  Early in her marriage she participated in a couples bowling league and enjoyed playing cards with dear friends until the early hours of the morning.   In retirement, John and Jan loved traveling with family and friends and using their time share condominiums.  They took particular delight in taking their grandchildren to Disney World.  Jan also managed their Branson condo rental business.  Jan also loved to collect things such as Norman Rockwell plates, Jesse Barnes prints and Christmas ornaments.

Jan enjoyed relatively good health until the advances of age weakened her condition.  By God’s grace Jan survived a breast cancer diagnosis in 2003 and was granted many more years of healthy living.  Jan suffered a traumatic brain injury from a terrible fall in 2015 where she nearly died but God spared her life again.  With the passing of time, she began to experience complications due to diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease leading to admission into long term care at Lutheran Senior Service—Laclede Station Road in December of 2018.  Since then she has remained there, was placed on palliative hospice in early April, and about two weeks later she quietly departed this life Saturday, April 18, 2020, 3:20 a.m.  She attained the age of 77 years, 1 month, and 10 days.

Private service for immediate family at Peace Lutheran and she later will be interred at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, St. Louis, MO.  A memorial service will be planned and scheduled at a later date.

The family has asked that flowers not be sent but instead would like donations in her memory to be sent to Peace Lutheran Church.