Janet "Jan" Ruth Lindemann

Her parents, George and Ruth Noffke, preceded her in death. She is survived by her husband Paul Lindemann, two daughters, Andrea Gilliam (Jauvon) and Jessica Lindemann (Rick Cox), and three grandchildren, Adam, Jacob, and Genevieve. She is also survived by her brother James Noffke (Judy), sisters-in-law Elizabeth Malone (Frank) and Stephanie Mood, and several nieces and nephews.

Jan was a loving wife to Paul for 52 years. They cherished each other, and their love continued deepening over the decades of their marriage. Together they enjoyed their winter home in Florida, summer time at Chautauqua, and visits to over 25 National Parks and other scenic sites in the U.S. They traveled internationally to 29 countries. Jan reveled in the art, stained glass, and mosaics in Cathedrals and Museums. She also marveled in the cloudscapes and for years was a member of the International Cloud Society, which sent her a cloud picture to begin every day.

She was a caring mother and delighted in family gatherings and celebrations. She was an enthusiastic cheerleader in her daughters’ lives, and they brought her great joy. Her grandchildren were the brightest and sweetest lights in her life. They loved playing with “Grammy” as together they invented creative games and went on fun outings. She wrote many children’s stories over the years, and recently her book Sunbeam was published with her niece Rachel’s illustrations. The decades in her writers’ group and book group enriched her life. Over many years her spirit group and discernment group also enhanced her life.

Jan was blessed to have a wide, beloved circle of friends. She nourished these friendships and they sustained her over the years. Her deep spiritual and inner exploration brought her peace, and she shared it with others. Her many past civic engagements included: League of Women Voters, board of Planned Parenthood, board of Families First, Delegate to White House Conference on Families, and President of Meridian Kessler Neighborhood Association.

As a passionate advocate for social justice, Jan had a long, accomplished career as a social worker improving the lives of families and children. She started her career as a psychiatric social worker at Larue Carter Psychiatric Hospital. Following that, she served as Executive Director of the Indiana National Association of Social Workers and then as lobbyist for the Indiana Coalition of Human Services, where she lobbied on health and human service issues at the Indiana statehouse. She helped pass many laws to protect children, fund primary health care centers, improve mental health, get prenatal care for low income pregnant mothers, and many other programs for those in need. She mentored many social work students in advocacy. In 1995, she received the Indiana Social Worker of the Year Award. She ended her career as a hospice social worker at St. Vincent Hospice.

Jan reveled in clouds and was always looking up. She will be remembered for her loving heart and gentle spirit. Calling will be held on December 16, 2023 at Leppert Mortuary located at 740 East 86th Street in Indianapolis from 2 to 3 p.m. with service to follow.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Dayspring Center, a shelter for families without housing, at P.O. Box 44105, Indianapolis, IN 46244.