Janet Barnhart Culver passed from this earth on May 22, 2018 at the age of 79. She was born in Ottumwa, Iowa on November 2, 1938. Janet was educated at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa and received a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts with a focus on education. She took that knowledge and shared it as a teacher to elementary school students.
She had an unaffected appreciation of art and beauty. It was evidenced in her choice of her favorite life form outside of humans, the butterfly. She would share that appreciation throughout her life and it was demonstrated in her appearance, demeanor and actions.
During it’s infancy, she donated her time to the development of public television and was a presence in the fund-raising efforts. She shared her love of music as a song leader for services at Sacred Heart Catholic Church and as a musical director for several projects and plays at the school.
She also discovered a profound interest in theater and demonstrated her versatile talent in several productions of Conroe’s community theater including her portrayals of Blache DeBois in Streetcar Named Desire and Maggie in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Her final stage performance was in a regional production of Driving Miss Daisy in the eponymous role.
Jan, as she was known to her friends, was a humanitarian with a firm belief in Jesus Christ and his teachings. She was known to take that belief beyond the walls of the Catholic church and sharing that love and kindness to all. Her humanitarian efforts were known with local community organizations, at the food pantry of Saint Rose of Lima and in her home. All were considered and welcomed by Jan. The only pursuit that saw equal attention was the love for her children and the realization of their happiness.
Jan is preceded by her brother Kenneth, her father, Jake Barnhart, her mother Gertrude, and her husband Francis Culver. She is survived by her sister Joyce McCloud, her sons Jason Matthew and Donald Erick and her daughter, Andrea Lynn and many additional family members, friends, and colleagues that have had the pleasure to have known her.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18