Janet Cleo Waldowski

1938 - 2023

Janet Cleo Waldowski, formerly Maras, a long-time resident Eagan, MN, passed away December 1, 2023 at Fairview Hospital surrounded by her husband Robert of 60 years, her son Paul, daughter Colette and son-in-law John Ortenblad.

Janet was born on July 29, 1938 in Benson, MN, the daughter of Leon and Inez Maras. She attended grade school in a one-room school near her parents' farm. She received Holy Communion and was confirmed at the Visitation Church in Danvers, MN, the church she would later be married in.

She graduated from high school in Appleton in 1956. Her yearbook said that Janet could often be seen cruising up and down Main Street in father's Buick. In 1957, she graduated from Teachers Training in Fergus Falls, MN. She spent the next six years teaching school in Western Minnesota.

Her life changed in 1962 when Bob, also a Danvers boy, called her for a date after he was discharged from the Coast Guard. They married on September 7, 1963 in Danvers. Janet had a lot of tragedies in her life. She lost a brother Daniel in an accident and her father passed away six months after she was married. Her third child died shortly after birth. Bob and Janet settled in Minneapolis after marriage and she went to work for Miller Publishing. She left that job to start a family.

In 1965, she and her husband bought a house in Eagan and she was a stay-at-home mom for the next 12 years. When she went back to work, she took a job working for her husband at Riverway, a barge company. After five years, she found work at the regional office in Bloomington of the Presbyterian Church, where she retired in 2000. Even before she retired, she became interested in biking. Her and Bob's first bike-packing trip was biking the Katy trail in Missouri. Together they made several trips to Milwaukee and spent part of the summer in 2004, 2005, 2008, 2012, 2013 biking in Europe.

In the late 90s, they rode with several tours with Bike Virginia. There were so many other trips and her last one was 2022 when she and Bob biked the Paul Bunyan trail beginning in Brainerd. It was a week-long ride of about 250 miles. She was also Bob's sag driver pulling a pop-up camper when he rode the MS tram several years. In between, she found time riding with two local bike clubs. She made a lot of friends in the club and they thought highly of her. Janet was a very private person, never demanding much but giving a lot.

After her grandkids were born, she spent some time taking care of them and the family spent some time houseboating on Lake of the Woods. Janet was a wonderful wife and mother, and she is will be greatly missed by her family.

Preceded in death by her parents, a sister, brother and baby boy.

She is survived by her husband Robert of 60 years, son Paul, daughter Colette, sister Carol, brothers Dave (Anita) and Larry (Kathy), grandchildren Alex (Alicia) and Kirsten Waldowski, great-grandchildren Colton and Myles.