Janet Jean Kirch, 80, died at Nye Pointe Center in Fremont on Jan. 21, 2024
Janet was born in Snyder on May 18, 1943, to Harold and Ruth Beck. She was raised on the family farm and attended grade school at District No. 41 and St Peter’s Lutheran School. She graduated from Snyder High School in 1961 and later Commercial Extension Business College in Omaha. Janet worked in Omaha at an abstract company while serving as a live-in nanny, and then worked for an insurance company in Lincoln. After getting engaged on Valentine’s Day, she married the love of her life, Richard D. Kirch on Sept. 6, 1964 at St Peter’s Lutheran Church in Snyder.
Janet and Richard started their marriage in Lincoln and then Neligh before moving to Pender where they welcomed their four daughters. Richard’s job transferred them to Valentine in 1971 where Janet started a small greenhouse and ran a bedding plant business and truck garden providing produce for restaurants, a grocery store and the public. In Fremont, she was the distributor for the Omaha World Herald newspaper for 10 years and created the business Newcomers to Fremont.
Above all, Janet loved the Lord with her faith and family as her priority. She served Our Savior Lutheran Church in Valentine by playing the organ, growing garden flowers for the alter and creating the junior choir. In Fremont, she was an active member of the Eunice Circle at Trinity Lutheran Church.
Janet will always be remembered for her many hobbies and interests. She was passionate about flower and vegetable gardening, as well as canning and freezing fruit, vegetables, pickles, soups and jelly. Her pets brought her much love over the years, especially Callie, her latest sweet calico. Her hobbies also included cake decorating, crafts, cooking, baking, camping and researching family history. She collected nativity scenes and loved to decorate for the holidays. Janet was also extremely proud of her annual Christmas letter.
In later years, Janet and Richard enjoyed attending sports and musical activities of their grandchildren. For many years, she enjoyed watching sports on TV, especially Cardinals baseball, Nebraska & Creighton sports, and the state high school tournaments. During COVID, Richard frequently took her to the Fremont State Lakes where she tamed and fed a resident goose, which she named Lucy. Most recently, she looked forward to watching several hours of church on Sunday and sharing the Lord’s message with everyone she met. Her memory will live on in the hearts and minds of her loving family and many friends.
Janet was preceded in death by her parents Harold & Ruth Beck and her sister-in-law, Marcia Beck. She is survived by her husband, Richard; daughters, Jean (Greg) Kirch-Holliday, Jody (Shawn) Schulenberg, Julie Kirch, Joyce (Frank) DeLaGarza; grandchildren, Bailey (Anthony) Miller, Easton Schulenberg, Reagen (Fiance’ Brandon) Schulenberg, Greyson (Erika) Holliday, Amelia Holliday, Ava DeLaGarza, Anna DeLaGarza; great grandchildren Annalise Miller and Cassian Holliday; sister Marilyn (Jim) Hoover, brother Wayne Beck and many nieces and nephews.
The funeral will be 10 a.m. Friday, Jan. 26, 2024, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Fremont. Burial will follow in Ridge Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to Trinity Lutheran School. Visitation will be Thursday, Jan. 25 at the Ludvigsen Mortuary Chapel from 3 to 8 p.m. with the family present from 5 to 7.
Online guestbook at www.Ludvigsenmortuary.com.