Janet Rutherford Granath

1933 - 2020

1933 - 2020

Janet died on October 24, 2020. She was a long time resident of Winnetka, IL and moved to Wilmette several years ago. She was the daughter of Marjorie Sheffield Rutherford and George Stanley Rutherford and was born while her family lived in Western Springs, IL. They later moved to Hinsdale, IL where she spent her entire growing-up years. She was the sister of Mary Sheffield and Thomas Fenton (Gay, then Lois). She was married to John Andrew Granath in 1963 and was the happy mother of three wonderful boys -- Carl Rutherford (Dawn), John Dewar (Alice) and Thomas Sheffield (Marie). She was predeceased by her parents, her husband, her brother and her eldest son Carl who was the proud father, along with his wife Dawn, of triplets Carl Andrew, Emma Marie and Benjamin William. These grandchildren were the light of her life and brought her much joy.

Janet graduated as the co-valedictorian of the first graduating class of Hinsdale Central HS. She graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in sociology. She was elected to Phi Beta Kappa in her junior year and was the recipient of several other honorary awards. She valued the close friendships she made at U of M and which lasted for many, many years. Her working life was almost entirely in the field of Human Resources where she worked as an HR professional for many large corporations. However, her favorite and last job, from which she retired, was with McDougal Littell, an educational publisher in Evanston, IL where she made many long-lasting friendships. During the years when she raised her sons and was a stay-at-home mother, she was active in a number of organizations -- Hadley School for the Blind, many PTA jobs among others. She continued to volunteer in her later years as a driver for Meals at Home and as a volunteer driver for the North Shore Senior Center where she was named "super senior" a few years ago.

She is eternally grateful for all the relationships that made her life a happy one -- her parents; her husband; her sons and their wives; her brother and his wife Gay; her sister and her friend Betsy; her brother-in-law Carl and her dear sister-in-law Anne who introduced her to her own husband; her nieces and nephews Jeff Rutherford (Sarah), Charlie Rutherford (Amy), Anne Rutherford Zuba (Mike), Bruce Granath (Erika), and Cathy Granath Kimble (Rick); nine great-nieces and -nephews; and, of course, never to be forgotten: the triplets. Her main regret is not seeing how things turn out for all these wonderful people -- her friends included.

She will be interred with her husband at Rosehill Cemetery in Chicago. She requested no memorial services. Any donations may be made to the charity of your choice.