Doris Janssen, 84, Northwood, Iowa

Published 9:31 am Thursday, March 24, 2011

Doris Evelyn Janssen, 84, died Monday, March 21, 2011, at her home in Northwood, Iowa. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at First Lutheran Church, Northwood, with the Revs. Ed Bard and Karen Grandall officiating. Burial will be in Sunset Rest Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at Schroeder & Sites Funeral Home, Hwy 65 S, Northwood.

Janssen

Doris was born April 12, 1926, in Mason City, Iowa, to John and Isabel (Butcher) Deardeuff. She attended school through the eighth grade at Bath No. 4 in Mason City, and graduated from Rockwell Public School in 1943. She furthered her education and graduated from Hamilton Business College. She married Benjamin Janssen on Dec. 4, 1949, in Mason City, Iowa, and to this union two children were born. They farmed on the family farm east of Northwood until moving into Northwood in 1977. She worked as a secretary at Monroe Jr. High and as secretary and treasurer at First Lutheran Church, Northwood.

Doris considered it an honor to serve her church family at First Lutheran as parish secretary, treasurer and board member for many years.

She treasured her time with family and friends and loved to play games of all kinds, including crosswords and jumbles.

Bud and Doris were proud members of the Grapevine Twist Square-Dance Club of Albert Lea. They traveled often with the group dancing in parades, at fairs, in community centers and on one memorable occasion on the Continental Divide.

She was a member of Julia Circle and the Sorosis Club, as well as a longtime volunteer with Meals on Wheels.

Doris was an excellent cook, especially known for her pies, butterhorn rolls and potato salad. Doris enjoyed lake fishing with Bud, including an annual trip with relatives and friends to Lake Osakis each Labor Day weekend.

Bud and Doris also traveled to California several times during the 18 years their daughter lived and worked in the San Francisco Bay area.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Benjamin Dale Janssen, Nov. 6, 2009; her parents; sister, Irma, and her husband, Orville Throne; brother, Donald, and his wife, Maxine Deardeuff; nieces: Nancy and Jan Deardeuff; nephew, Michael Janssen; brother-in-law, Donald Janssen; and sister-in-law, Marlys Janssen.

Doris is survived by her son, John Janssen, of Northwood, Iowa; daughter, Mary Janssen, of Northwood; brother, Les (Joan) Deardeuff, of Rockwell, Iowa; sisters: Marge Evans, of Mason City, Iowa, and Arlene VanSabben of Northwood, Iowa; her 102-year-old aunt, Mary Summa, of McMinnville, Ten.; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Schroeder & Sites Funeral Home, Northwood is in charge of arrangements.