Janet Rusch Carter

Janet Rusch Carter was born on May 9, 1951, in Dubuque, Iowa, to Ellis and Jeanette Rusch. She grew up in Dubuque and attended Sageville Schools through 8th grade, followed by Jefferson Junior High and Dubuque Senior High School. During her youth, she was an active member of St. Paul Lutheran Church.

Jan pursued higher education at Concordia College in St. Paul, Minnesota, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. After college, she began her career working for the Missouri Synod Board of Youth Ministries. It was during this time, at a formal dinner event, that she met the love of her life, Gregory Carter.

Jan and Greg were married on May 18, 1980, and soon after relocated to Topeka, Kansas. One of Jan’s proudest moments was the birth of their daughter, Andrea Dawn Carter, followed five years later by the birth of their son, Timothy Joseph Carter, completing their family.

While raising her children, Jan continued her education, earning a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Kansas. Once her children began school, Jan returned to the workforce as a social worker for a local hospice organization. A later move took the family to Fort Worth, Texas, where Jan continued her hospice work.

Eventually, Jan found her true calling working with All Church Home (ACH Child and Family Services), where she made a lasting impact. She retired from ACH in 2010, leaving behind a legacy of compassion and dedication to the well-being of children and families.

In retirement, Greg and Jan did some adventuring together, traveling to far off places including Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, Bora Bora, Hawaii, Europe, Great Britian and Ireland. They also joined cruises to Alaska, Catalina & Ensenada, the Mediterranean, down the Danube, and they even rode a train across Canada. Warm adventures were had during their visits to the Bahamas, Aruba, the Florida Keys, and Cancun. When they felt like exploring closer to home, Jan and Greg would take car trips in various directions to explore the nearby towns, and especially liked seeing old court houses in the Texas counties around Fort Worth. They were always happy to visit new places and meet new people.

Jan also became more involved in the Stephen Ministries program at New Hope, as well as heading up Bible study classes. She attended water aerobics classes a few times a week. She enjoyed doing crossword puzzles, and spent many joyous hours reading books and was involved in an active book club with her friends.

She is survived by her spouse Gregory Carter, her children Andrea and Timothy Carter, her siblings Jeanne Hereen, Daniel Rusch, and James Rusch, and her BFF Peggy Fisher.

A memorial service will be held on August 9, 2025 at 2:00 pm at New Hope Lutheran Church in Keller, TX.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to ACH Child and Family Services 3712 Wichita Street, Fort Worth, TX 76119.

Jan’s memorial will be livestreamed via New Hope Lutheran’s Facebook page.