Janet Janssens

JANET JANSSENS 1933-2008 Janet Janssens of Grass Valley passed away on September 1st in Kalispell Montana while on an extended trip with her loving husband of fifty-five years, Joe Janssens. She was 74. Jan and Joe were long-time residents of the Santa Ynez Valley prior to moving to Grass Valley, recently. Services will include a mass at 1:00 pm on Saturday September 20th at St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church on Atwood Road in Auburn. A celebration of her life will follow at the Ridge in Auburn. Mrs. Janssens was born on September 30,1933, in Sacramento, to Rhodella and Edgar Wilkins. While growing up she enjoyed sports, school, music and working part-time in a jewelry store. She graduated from Fresno High and attended Sacramento Community College where she was a member of Phi Alpha Gamma Sorority, the Capella Choir and the college music association. She had a beautiful voice and often sang for others as a young woman. She lived in San Francisco, enjoyed working and the city life. She became an Air Force wife when she married Joe Janssens on July 19, 1953 while he was stationed at Mather AFB. Jan and Joe raised three loving daughters. She enjoyed living in the Santa Ynez Valley and watching her daughters benefit from the country lifestyle. She served as a 4-H leader and raised market and breeding Suffolk sheep. After her family was raised she became a real estate agent. On Sundays she loved going to mass, breakfast in a local restaurant, and a quiet family day. She loved traveling through the national parks. She is survived by her husband Joe Janssens of Grass Valley, daughters Debbie Milby of Mexia, Texas, Rachelle Smith of Auburn, Wendy Janssens of Paso Robles, grandchildren Christian Smith of Chico, Augustin Smith of Santa Barbara, Stephanie Smith of Auburn, Joseph, Cheyene, and Tanner Janssens of Paso Robles, her brother Ed Wilkins and wife Sara of Coarsegold, brother Roger Wilkins and wife Phyllis of Alaska, sister Lynn Roderick of Citrus Heights and their families, her sister-in law's families including Joan & Tim Stenson of Simi Valley, Jack Welch of California City, Craig and Mary Welch of Buellton and Lisa and David Thompson of Los Alamos and Sun Valley Idaho. She was preceded in death by her mother and father, sister Louise Lawrence of Palo Alto, and sister and brother in law, Rosemarie and Jack Welch of Santa Ynez.