IN LOVING MEMORY OF
Janet
Todd
December 15, 1937 – November 29, 2024
Obituary
The earthly plane is less bright as of November 29th, 2024.
On a Friday evening, as the warm seasons were changing into the white and snowy times, Janet Todd slipped away from the chill of the earth, and no doubt made her way toward the warmth and cheer—as was her own nature—of the heavenly realms.
After an active, full, and productive life, Janet passed away peacefully while in the company of her youngest son, David, who was visiting from Alaska. Her death, at age 86, was not unexpected; she'd lived several months with the loving assistance of her daughter Debbie in Lawrence, Kansas, and as her health problems increased, her devoted daughter Joanne in Wisconsin brought her to West Bend to enjoy the affections of the many grandchildren and great-grandchildren who loved their grandmother so much. Janet was in the good care of the devoted staff of The Cornerstone Assisted Living and Allay Hospice when she passed from this life.
Her final months were spent receiving visitors, listening to music and enjoying old Carol Burnett shows. She loved it when her son David would play guitar and sing Elvis songs for her. She was able to attend the wedding of her granddaughter, Christine, and though partially confined to a wheelchair, spent the evening dancing, laughing, and cutting up with her cherished sister Mary, her beloved brother Stan, and other treasured family members and in-laws who kept her giggling, singing and laughing until the tears came.
Janet Elaine Bissey was born in 1937 to Roland and Mary Bissey in Springfield, Illinois. She was the first of four children and was preceded in death by her much-loved father and mother and her dear brother Max. Janet was a vivacious, intelligent, and beautiful child. Her own children loved to watch the black and white "home movies" of young Janet with her whimsy and humor on full display.
Janet Bissey became Janet Todd when she married Gordon Todd and began a rich family life raising five happy children while traveling both overseas and stateside. Due to Gordon's military career, including deployments to the Philippines, Turkey, and Viet Nam, Janet showed amazing strength and skill in managing her young brood, often far away from her family and outside of her own culture. The family lived on Okinawa while Gordon served two stints away at war during the Viet Nam era; Janet rose to the occasion and raised her four school-aged children and an infant on the tiny Pacific island, where the neighborhood trash was collected by horse and cart, the rice paddies of the local farmers were 100 feet from the front door, and one had to know which snakes and spiders in the yard were poisonous! While stateside, Janet made a warm home wherever the family was stationed, including such diverse locations as Washington, Georgia, Michigan, South Carolina, Indiana, and Kansas. Later, Janet made Florida her home, enjoying the warm weather and caring for her aging parents.
Janet's five children—Debra, Mary, Stephen, Joanne, and David—enjoyed a wonderful caregiver and model in their most beautiful mother. She was kind, affectionate, warm, and solicitous. Janet was a wonderful cook and taught all her children to cook. She was an accomplished seamstress and passed this skill along as well. She played the piano with great skill and feeling, a talent passed to her from her mother, which she also shared with her children. She was a natural teacher, and even taught her youngest son, David, to read before the age of four! Janet modelled for her children such traits as curiosity, logical thinking, respect for others, and empathy. It would be rare—nay, impossible! —to recall an instance of one of her children saying a word of criticism about her. In fact, it is probable that that is true for anyone who knew her—friends, family, acquaintances, strangers.
A mark of Janet's thoughtfulness was shown by her consistent sharing over the years of greeting cards for everyone's birthdays and special occasions. We will surely miss that special feeling of being remembered with her beautiful handwritten notes arriving in the mailbox...the 3D real life mailbox!
In her later years, after a life of giving and caring for others—from babies to her own parents—Janet enjoyed living on her own. She planted flowers around her apartment complex and her church, enjoying the butterflies which they attracted. She began to collect the butterflies as caterpillars or chrysalises, and to photograph their eventual emergence and first flights. Her enjoyment of both butterflies and photography was also passed along to her daughters.
Janet is survived by 2 siblings; her daughters, Debra, Mary, and Joanne; her son David; 13 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.
There are individuals in this world who are simply nice, and truly kind, intelligent, and thoughtful. Janet's life, as is the way of all flesh, had its share of troubles and heartache. Her firstborn son, Steve—who himself manifested many of the traits we remember in Janet, and which truly, seem to be a list of fruits from the Holy Spirit—passed from this earth while in the prime of his life. Could there be anything more difficult for a mother? But the hurts and heartaches that were Janet's cross in life did not make her bitter or broken, for Janet had a heart of love.
Her strong Christian upbringing and faith was not shallow, and did not lie dormant, but was expressed in a life of serving others. Janet typically put the needs and desires of others above her own. This sacrificial nature of her life, a life of generosity, giving, peacemaking, and gentleness—of one who always took the lower seat—surely will be rewarded by her Lord Jesus Christ. One can almost hear Him now, calling, "Come Up Here! Friend, come up Higher!"
The family gives heartfelt thanks to her final caregivers at Cornerstone & Allay Hospice.
On a Friday evening, as the warm seasons were changing into the white and snowy times, Janet Todd slipped away from the chill of the earth, and no doubt made her way toward the warmth and cheer—as was her own nature—of the heavenly realms.
After an active, full, and productive life, Janet passed away peacefully while in the company of her youngest son, David, who was visiting from Alaska. Her death, at age 86, was not unexpected; she'd lived several months with the loving assistance of her daughter Debbie in Lawrence, Kansas, and as her health problems increased, her devoted daughter Joanne in Wisconsin brought her to West Bend to enjoy the affections of the many grandchildren and great-grandchildren who loved their grandmother so much. Janet was in the good care of the devoted staff of The Cornerstone Assisted Living and Allay Hospice when she passed from this life.
Her final months were spent receiving visitors, listening to music and enjoying old Carol Burnett shows. She loved it when her son David would play guitar and sing Elvis songs for her. She was able to attend the wedding of her granddaughter, Christine, and though partially confined to a wheelchair, spent the evening dancing, laughing, and cutting up with her cherished sister Mary, her beloved brother Stan, and other treasured family members and in-laws who kept her giggling, singing and laughing until the tears came.
Janet Elaine Bissey was born in 1937 to Roland and Mary Bissey in Springfield, Illinois. She was the first of four children and was preceded in death by her much-loved father and mother and her dear brother Max. Janet was a vivacious, intelligent, and beautiful child. Her own children loved to watch the black and white "home movies" of young Janet with her whimsy and humor on full display.
Janet Bissey became Janet Todd when she married Gordon Todd and began a rich family life raising five happy children while traveling both overseas and stateside. Due to Gordon's military career, including deployments to the Philippines, Turkey, and Viet Nam, Janet showed amazing strength and skill in managing her young brood, often far away from her family and outside of her own culture. The family lived on Okinawa while Gordon served two stints away at war during the Viet Nam era; Janet rose to the occasion and raised her four school-aged children and an infant on the tiny Pacific island, where the neighborhood trash was collected by horse and cart, the rice paddies of the local farmers were 100 feet from the front door, and one had to know which snakes and spiders in the yard were poisonous! While stateside, Janet made a warm home wherever the family was stationed, including such diverse locations as Washington, Georgia, Michigan, South Carolina, Indiana, and Kansas. Later, Janet made Florida her home, enjoying the warm weather and caring for her aging parents.
Janet's five children—Debra, Mary, Stephen, Joanne, and David—enjoyed a wonderful caregiver and model in their most beautiful mother. She was kind, affectionate, warm, and solicitous. Janet was a wonderful cook and taught all her children to cook. She was an accomplished seamstress and passed this skill along as well. She played the piano with great skill and feeling, a talent passed to her from her mother, which she also shared with her children. She was a natural teacher, and even taught her youngest son, David, to read before the age of four! Janet modelled for her children such traits as curiosity, logical thinking, respect for others, and empathy. It would be rare—nay, impossible! —to recall an instance of one of her children saying a word of criticism about her. In fact, it is probable that that is true for anyone who knew her—friends, family, acquaintances, strangers.
A mark of Janet's thoughtfulness was shown by her consistent sharing over the years of greeting cards for everyone's birthdays and special occasions. We will surely miss that special feeling of being remembered with her beautiful handwritten notes arriving in the mailbox...the 3D real life mailbox!
In her later years, after a life of giving and caring for others—from babies to her own parents—Janet enjoyed living on her own. She planted flowers around her apartment complex and her church, enjoying the butterflies which they attracted. She began to collect the butterflies as caterpillars or chrysalises, and to photograph their eventual emergence and first flights. Her enjoyment of both butterflies and photography was also passed along to her daughters.
Janet is survived by 2 siblings; her daughters, Debra, Mary, and Joanne; her son David; 13 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.
There are individuals in this world who are simply nice, and truly kind, intelligent, and thoughtful. Janet's life, as is the way of all flesh, had its share of troubles and heartache. Her firstborn son, Steve—who himself manifested many of the traits we remember in Janet, and which truly, seem to be a list of fruits from the Holy Spirit—passed from this earth while in the prime of his life. Could there be anything more difficult for a mother? But the hurts and heartaches that were Janet's cross in life did not make her bitter or broken, for Janet had a heart of love.
Her strong Christian upbringing and faith was not shallow, and did not lie dormant, but was expressed in a life of serving others. Janet typically put the needs and desires of others above her own. This sacrificial nature of her life, a life of generosity, giving, peacemaking, and gentleness—of one who always took the lower seat—surely will be rewarded by her Lord Jesus Christ. One can almost hear Him now, calling, "Come Up Here! Friend, come up Higher!"
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Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.... St. Francis of Assisi
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The family gives heartfelt thanks to her final caregivers at Cornerstone & Allay Hospice.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Janet Todd, please visit our flower store.
Services
Visitation
December
28
St. Frances Cabrini
9:00 - 9:45 am
Funeral Mass
December
28
St. Frances Cabrini
Starts at 10:00 am
Janet Todd's Guestbook
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