Janet Irene Eckelman

Senior Family member Janet Irene Eckelman, born in London, England, died at the age 78 at her home in Happy Valley, OR.

Janet was born to Albert and Irene Jowett in the neighborhood of Highgate in London. She was one of 6 children. Her brothers were Peter and Jimmy, and sisters were Dorothy, Valerie, and Elaine. Her early childhood was spent in WWII London, with many memories of the infamous London Bombings. Her family was fortunate to have been visiting her grandmother up North when a buzz bomb flattened their Highgate home.

Her Journey started after graduating Highgate school at the age of 15. She began work right away at her first job wrapping jewelry for a jewelry store. She then went on to be a secretary at Idris bottle co. After a few months she was made the secretary to the company's owner.

In September 1956, she met her husband Dean Eckelman, an Army corporal on leave from his station in Germany, at a revolving band dance hall. They had dated for 20 days when Dean asked for her hand in marriage, and she said yes! 2 months later, Dean was discharged in the United States, and Janet was approved for a green card and travelled to New York (she had an aunt whom she visited for a couple weeks) and then on to Dean's hometown of Portland, Oregon. They were married in May of 1957.

Her first job in the United States was at a US Bank. She became pregnant with her first son, Gary, in April 1958. Janet and Dean's first house, picked out and purchased by Janet, was located in the Gateway neighborhood of Portland. Janet had twins in August 1960, whom were born prematurely, and passed away shortly after birth. Janet and Dean travelled to Canada often to buy English merchandise.

Janet belonged to two British women's groups, the "Transatlantic War Brides" and "Daughters of the British Empire".

Janet started part time work in the legal field of patent law. In 1962, Janet, Dean and Gary, age 4, took a trip to New York for a week, and from there, took the ship "Queen Elizabeth" to South Hampton, England, visiting family. Their second son, Todd was born in December, 1963.

In 1964, they built a house in Happy Valley (Janet's best move). In 1967, Janet opened her very own tea shop in Southeast Portland, which would lead her to begin starting her own businesses. She made a round trip by train, and ship "US United States" to London for a second time, with Todd and Gary.

Her next project was opening an antique shop called "Toad in the Hole" in Gresham, Oregon. She ran the store for 5 years, travelling to England, buying antique furniture, and bringing it back to be sold in her shop. In 1975, she began a typing service business she also named "Toad in Hole", drafting documents of all types with her typewriter. She then went on to manage legal work for 5 different patent attorneys in Portland.

Janet did typing work in her spare time, day and night, in order to put her sons Gary and Todd through college. Gary studied architecture at Syracuse University, and Todd studied photography at the Brookes Institute of Technology.

Next, came her Real Estate projects. She bought a building on SE Foster Road, and rented it for 26 years to a State Farm branch and bought other properties including condos and houses.

During all her endeavors, she loved to travel the world but most of all, to her homeland of England.

Janet passed away at home in Happy Valley, after battling lung cancer for almost a year. She is survived by her husband of almost 60 years, Dean; her two sons, Gary and Todd, and their wives Jan and Kris; her five grandchildren, Jenny, Max, Nick, Chad, and Zac; and three great grandchildren Asher, Knox, and Eden.

As well as her endearing love for her family, she had strong passion for animals, and rescued and cared for many over her lifetime. She donated generously to many animal charities and the Humane Society every year. She loved her family endlessly, and worked tirelessly for their happiness.