Janet Westphalen

Janet Westphalen, 87, of Atlantic, passed away Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025 at her home.
Janet Ann was born on June 24, 1938, to Wayne and Louise (Darrow) Jewett, at the old Atlantic Hospital in Atlantic. The oldest of three children, her siblings were Douglas and Jane. Her love for horses was lifelong and her Grandpa Cal Darrow even bought her two horses of her own when she was in Jr. and Sr. High school.
Basketball was another passion of hers and she made Varsity in eighth grade! She always gave it 110% and scoring records held for a few years at 50 and 51 points per game, in Anita. In 1953, her freshman year, their team went to the State Tournament for the first time ever. She always said basketball made school so much better.
She was involved in the Methodist Youth Group as a teenager. Janet graduated from Anita High School in 1956 and attended school in both Cedar Falls and Omaha for a brief time. While spending an evening with friends at the skate rink in Atlantic, the following autumn after graduation, she met Dallas Westphalen. They dated for a short six months before marrying on May 26, 1957 at the Anita Methodist Church and they were married 55½ years.
To this union five children were born: Scott, Sandy, Sue, Steve and Sharon. They lived in Lorah, two separate times and farmed north of Anita. They lived in Atlantic until 1968, then moved east of Anita farming there for 15 years and raising five children. A brief move to Gove Kansas on a cattle ranch and lastly the Westphalen family place since approx. 1984, which in 2007 became a Century Farm. Together, their entire family enjoyed raising Quarter Horses for over 40 years.
They took trail rides, rode in parades and entered them in Horse Shows and 4-H. Janet worked her whole life and taught her kids how to do the same. She was employed at Farm Bureau, Cass County Memorial Hospital, Wise Motels, St. Paul's Lutheran Church, the City of Atlantic and Sitel, finally retiring in 2003. Janet traveled from childhood through later life all over the United States including Dallas and her traveling to Arizona for their 35 th anniversary and The Black Hills for their 50th.
Janet enjoyed biking on the trails, gardening, feeding the birds, watching the grandkids in their activities and being with her Chocolate Lab "Cookie." She loved Buddy the cat that kept her company in recent years and would 'chat' with him daily. She saw Elvis live in concert. Janet was an avid Iowa State Cyclones and Kansas City Chiefs fan, rarely missing a game and reminding us to watch too. Some of her most enjoyable times were with her sister, grandchildren and great grandchildren and when the whole family came home at Holiday times.
Janet was baptized into the Family of her Savior Jesus Christ at the First Baptist Church in Atlantic. She served as Sunday School Superintendent, holding several offices at the church over the years including an officer of the Baptist Women's group ABW. In 2004, she went to Guatemala as part of a missionary team.
Surviving are her children, Scott (Julie) Westphalen, Sandy Westphalen Bice, Sue Westphalen, Steve (Roxanne) Westphalen and Sharon (Brian) Gaul; 15 grandchildren, Samantha (Brent), Paige (Spencer), Dylan, Tiffany (Aric), Tresa, Christine (Joseph), Charles (Anne), Bailey, Carter, Ruth, Larry (Kayla), Richie, Eve, Brek, and Elle; 20 great- grandchildren, Bryce, Nolan, Carson, Kimber, Theo, Jonah, Max, Chloe, Ember, Kessler, Augustus, Adaline, Avery, Archer, Sophia, Ella- Mae, Elijah, Courtney, Caleb, and Echo; two great-great-grandchildren, Daxton and Adalyn; sister, Janey (Roger) Powell; sisters-in-law, Judy Jewett, Lorraine (Darrell) Petersen, and Marcy Tietz; and many nieces, nephews, other relatives and many close friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Dallas on Nov. 12, 2012; her parents, Wayne and Louise Jewett; parents-in-law, Leo and Ethel Westphalen; brother, Doug Jewett; sister-in-law, Dee Johnson; brother-in-law, Gerry Tietz; and grandparents, Cal and Anne Darrow and Sam and Stella Jewett.
Thank you, mom, for writing absolutely everything down that you wanted today, including the above. It made it so much easier on us. We will always remember to do the right thing, because it's the right thing to do, keep the honest people honest, how you never took flak from Dad, to be ever so frugal and most importantly, to forgive. We are so very glad you knew exactly where you were going after this earthly life. Forever you will live on in our hearts.
Open visitation will begin at 10 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 5 at Roland Funeral Home in Atlantic followed by visitation with the family present from 4 – 7 p.m., at the funeral home.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 6 at the First Baptist Church in Atlantic, with Pastor Ray McCalla officiating. Burial will be in the Atlantic Cemetery.
Roland Funeral Service is caring for Janet's family and her arrangements. Condolences may be left at www.rolandfuneralservice.com.