Janet Waddell

1946 - 2016

JANET WADDELL Janet Waddell, 70, passed away unexpectedly at her home in McKinleyville, Ca on August 31, 2016 after fighting a great battle against breast cancer for the second time. A lifelong actor, Janet was a beloved member of the local theater community including North Coast Reperory Theatre, Arcata Playhouse, Plays in the Park and Ferndale Repertory Theatre, and she was very supportive of young actors. She had a wicked and mischievous sense of humor that belied a sensitive and caring nature. She had a deep love for animals, especially cats. Janet was born in Dickinson, ND on August 22, 1946 to Joseph and Alma Pfau. Joe had a great love of opera, and he instilled in his daughters a passion for music and performance. Alma loved hunting and fishing with Joe who built the family home on the bank of the Heart River in Dickinson where Alma kept large and beautiful gardens and orchards. Janet loved to swim in that river and skate on it in the winter by the light of bonfires with her siblings and friends. In later years Janet excelled in track and gymnastics, was a lifeguard, and worked with the nuns at St. Benedict's nursing home. She received a B.S. in Speech and Theatre at Dickinson State College, preparing her for teaching at Dickinson High School and at Prairie School in New Raymer, Colorado. She married Mel Ingeroi in Stanley, North Dakota in 1968 and gave birth to a daughter the following year. The marriage ended amicably in 1974 and she married Arnold Waddell in Greeley, Colorado in 1976. She later received a Master's Degree in Theatre and an Ed.S in Communications at the University of Northern Colorado where she worked at the James A. Michener Library. She performed in almost 100 theatrical productions and worked with Lee Strasberg and Edward Albee. She later taught college courses in theatre and communications and wrote articles for scholarly and trade publications. Janet and Arnold made several trips to Europe and Scandinavia, often chaperoning college students. She is preceded in death by her parents and her sister Carol Pfau Hughes. She is survived by her beloved husband Arnold Waddell, brother Mike Pfau and his wife Bennie of Dickinson, ND, daughter Sonja Ingeroi and husband AJ Simon of Roseburg, OR, granddaughter Ursula Evans, also of Roseburg, two nephews and three nieces. A celebration of life will take place for Janet Waddell on Sunday October 2nd at 6 pm at the Blue Ox in Eureka, CA. Costumes or other fabulous attire is welcomed but optional. More information about Janet (The Spectacular Life of Janet Waddell) will be available at her celebration of life and later on Facebook. If you wish to honor her memory, volunteer or contribute to your local theatre community or animal rescue, support the fight against cancer, or just be nice to people who need a kind word. Please sign the guestbook at www.times-standard.com