Janet Pearl Bertoch

Janet Pearl Bertoch of St. George, Utah, formerly of Idaho Falls, left this life she loved Monday, March 26, 2012.

Jannie threaded her special ways through friends, family and associates, as well as incomprehensibly giving all her descendants the strongest ethics that hold societies together: responsibility, determination, family, loyalty, courage, hard work and support of each other. She did this solitarily while enduring obstacles and inspiring these principles. Such principles will remain through the generations.

Jannie was born in Idaho Falls to Albert and Helen Brownell, the oldest of five children. She graduated from Idaho Falls High School in 1954. She was a member of the Pep Club and cheered her team on as the high school mascot. She enrolled in the inaugural nursing class at Idaho State University that same year.

Shortly after, she married and had three children: Deb, Suzie and Mike. After spending several years raising her children, she decided to finish her nursing degree at Weber State University in 1973.

Throughout her 28-year nursing career, she served in labor and delivery at the Logan, Utah, LDS Hospital, and then moved to eventually serve as the head nurse at the Idaho Falls LDS Hospital, culminating in the design and building of Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, where she served as the assistant director of nursing. Among her many achievements throughout her career, two of her proudest were her critical involvement in the Idaho State Perinatal Project and being awarded the Idaho Organization of Nurse Executives Nursing Leadership Award.

Jannie's love of her life, Dick Carlson, was her life partner. They enjoyed the outdoors, fishing, cooking, home improvement projects, gardening and their dogs. Above all, they enjoyed spending time at their cabin in Island Park, hosting family and friends. Jannie also loved traveling, especially with her best friend and fellow nurse, Betsy Dean. During her final years in St. George, she was lucky to reconnect with her junior high school boyfriend, Robert "Bobby" Tucker.

Jannie loved the Lord and had a compassionate heart and soul. She was kind, generous, gentle and forgiving. She inspired us, and her presence in our lives will be immensely missed.

She is survived by her brother, Jim (Janet) Brownell; her sisters, Peggy (Bill) Knopp and Curley (Dave) Olaveson; and her children, Debora Lynn (Doug) Watts, Suzie (Terry) Ker-Ostler and Michael James (Valerie) Bertoch. She was blessed with nine grandchildren and 7.5 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Albert and Helen Brownell, and her sister, Shirley Rae Brownell.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 7, at Coltrin Mortuary, 2100 First St. in Idaho Falls, with Pastor Rick Brown officiating. The family will receive friends beginning at 1 p.m. prior to services. She will be laid to rest next to her parents and sister in Rose Hill Cemetery.

Jannie loved receiving flowers, so in honor of her amazing life, please send flowers to someone you love -- she would have liked that.

Condolences may be sent to the family online at www.coltrinmortuary.com.