Janet Martha Horst

HORST, Janet Martha, 57, passed away peacefully while surrounded by her family on July 25, 2009 after a difficult and brave battle with cancer. Janet will be remembered as a beautiful, kind, and loving woman who kept her family and friends at the center of her life. She was the nucleus of her family, devoting a lifetime to raising her children and loving her husband. Janet was a best friend and confidante to many. The positive way in which she lived her life and fought her battle was an inspiration to all those who were lucky enough to call her family or friend. Janet was born in Kingston, N.Y., and raised in Ossining, N.Y. She earned a Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design from American University and worked in that field for over 20 years culminating with the startup of her own company, Impact Exhibit Production. Later in life, she returned to school and earned a Master's Degree of Fine Arts in Design from Virginia Commonwealth University. The academic setting and her students became her next love and she went on to teach in the Communication Arts and Design department at VCU for five years. Her professional accomplishments also include course design and a published work in the area of typography. She is survived by her loving husband of 36 years, David Edwin Horst; her children, Melanie Courtney Hartman, Sarah Elizabeth Chittum and Shawn David Horst; her mother, Elizabeth Masterman Rietschel of Southern Pines, N.C.; and her siblings, Carl Rietschel of Trinity, N.C., and John Rietschel of West River, Md. Janet was preceded in death by her father, Carl Henry Rietschel. A celebration of Janet's life will be held at 4 p.m. on Sunday, August 2, at the family's home at 2715 E. Grace Street, Richmond, Virginia. In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory can be made to the Lance Armstrong Foundation online at Livestrong.org.
This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.