Janet Washburn

Janet Washburn passed away October 29th in Tolleson, Arizona after a long struggle with Alzheimer's. She was born to Frank L. Shrewsbury and Modia Jewel Cunningham in Leitchfield, Kentucky on October 12th 1929 and moved to the St. Louis area with her adopted family after her young parents passed away. She graduated from Roosevelt High School in St. Louis and then went on to higher education at Carthage College in Illinois. Before completeing her studies she married a neurosurgeon, and after following her army husband to Syracuse NY and El Paso TX, settled down in Kirkwood Missouri to raise her family. She returned to school to earn her Bachelor Degree in nursing from Missouri Baptist Hospital in 1972. During that time she met her future husband whom she married in April of 1978 in Springfield MO. They moved to Arizona in 1996. She is survived by her husband Robert Washburn; daughters Carol Anne Batterjee of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Maggie Milton of NYC, NY; Beth Schuman of Wichita Falls, TX; Amy Hance of Fredericktown, MO and son Paul Schaerer of St. Louis, MO. 12 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren. Jan lived a long and remarkable life and had a huge impact on many lives. Professionally she held positions as a medical and psych nurse and later in her career as a director of nursing for a small hospital in Ballwin MO and for a nursing home in Springfield, MO. Personally she was a loving and steadfast wife with a talent for making homes warm and inviting wherever she traveled. Along the way Jan nurtured and raised 5 talented children and acted as a beacon to her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She will be dearly missed by her extended family. A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, December 3. 2016 at 10:00am at Advantage Golden Door Chapel, 11211 W Michigan Ave., Youngtown, AZ. Condolences may be left for the family at www.advantagefunerals.com.