Janet M. Ryan

Janet M. Ryan, age 85 of Brooklyn, entered into eternal rest on Wednesday, March 6, 2024, at St. Francis Manor, in Grinnell. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, March 9, 2024, at the First Presbyterian Church, Brooklyn with Pastor Lisa Whitmarsh Peterson officiating. Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m., Friday, March 8, 2024, at Kloster Funeral Home, Brooklyn. Interment will be in the Brooklyn Cemetery, Brooklyn. Memorials may be contributed to the First Presbyterian Church in Brooklyn, the Hammond Center Human Needs Fund at St. Francis in Grinnell, or to the St. Francis Foundation.

Janet is survived by her husband Bob of 64 years; her two children, Jody (Simon) Kovalik, of Grinnell, Rick (Jodie) Ryan, of Malcom; four grandchildren; and 3 great-grandchildren. Her sister Carol Herington, of Bettendorf, brother-in-law Richard (Wendy) Ryan, of Brooklyn.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

Janet Marleen Dexter Ryan was born in Grinnell, IA on December 29, 1938, to Hazel Aletha Squire Dexter and Glenn Leo Dexter. She attended country school in Washington township #6 and graduated from Grinnell High School in 1957. She was then employed at Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company in Grinnell. On January 30, 1960, she was united in marriage to Robert Rollin Ryan at the First Presbyterian Church in Brooklyn. The couple then moved to a farm northwest of Brooklyn where they farmed together for many years.

Janet was devoted to her family. She enjoyed lawncare, gardening, and birds. Janet surrounded herself with what made her happy and truly loved her life in the country, taking great pride in caring for their home and the land. She was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church in Brooklyn, where she served as elder and trustee, Sunday school and vacation bible school teacher, Presbyterian women’s group G.E.M.S. (God Expects My Service). Janet enjoyed working at the Rainbow’s End gift shop, in Grinnell and at Flower Connections in Victor. Bob and Janet traveled many places since 1983, some of their favorites were Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Mexico. They also enjoyed their US travels in their Born Free Motor Coach. She was a longtime member of P.E.O, a charter member of TTT, a member of the New Idea Club, and she completed the Master Gardener’s course in 2001. Janet volunteered at Capital Resources, served on the board and supported Second Mile in Grinnell. She loved to entertain, decorate, make baskets, refinish family antiques and bake – especially pies. She also loved to do creative needlework like cross stitch and quilting, making candles, arranging flowers for friends, home, and church.