Obituary for Janet K. Wolter

Janet Kay (Hougom) Wolter passed away unexpectedly in her home on Friday, January 15, 2021, with her loving husband by her side. Janet was born March 5, 1945, in Detroit, Michigan, to Mildred (Weese) and Hazen Hougom. She spent her childhood in Michigan, until age 10, when her family relocated to Onalaska, Wis., where she continued school and graduated from Onalaska High School in 1963. She married Roger Wolter on August 27, 1966, at Wesley United Methodist Church in La Crosse, Wis. After graduating high school, Janet worked multiple jobs including the phone company, and eventually found her true calling as a bus driver for the West Salem School District. She spent 33 joyous years transporting many kids, and later their kids, to and from school. Though the sign in her bus said the best months of the year were June, July and August, we all knew the highlight of her days were hearing the stories kids had to tell her. Janet also spent many years coaching the Barre Badgers 4-H softball team with her husband, Roger. Janet had many joys in life but her favorites included watching and keeping track of ‘her bears’ in Ely, Minn., traveling to Michigan and the Dominican with Roger, spending time with her family and being ‘Nana’. Janet was an avid shoe and purse collector; an addiction she proudly passed down to her granddaughters. Another joy she had was cheating in card games with her ‘Special Boy’, Jonathan - her only grandson who she loved doting on. Though Janet will be deeply missed by those who surrounded her, her family fully expects that she ran up the steps of Heaven to greet her great granddaughter, the light of her world, Chloe Kay, and rolled around with her missed fur babies, Tiny and Buffy when she got there. Janet is survived by her husband of 54 years, Roger Wolter; daughters, Kim (Curt) Eckelberg, and Kelly (Kraig) Burrows; grandkids, Jonathan (Amy) Eckelberg, Mandi (Albie) McKinney, and Krystal Burrows; siblings, Richard (Greta) Hougom, Irvin Hougom, and Diane (Steve) Hintz; brother-in-law, Harvey (Karen) Wolter; many nieces and nephews; great-nieces and great-nephews; close friends; and her beloved fur baby, Dusty. Janet was preceded in death by her parents, Hazen and Mildred Hougom; father-in-law, Wilfred Wolter; mother-in-law, Edith (Hauser) Wolter; sister-in-law, Marla Wolter; and great-granddaughter, Chloe Eckelberg. A public visitation will be held from 3:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., Thursday, January 21, 2021, at Jandt-Fredrickson Funeral Home, Jostad Chapel, 121 N. Youlon St., West Salem. A private family service will be held on Friday at the funeral home. Rev. Bruce Bartel will officiate. Burial will be in Christ Ev. Lutheran Cemetery, West Salem. Online condolences may be offered at www.jandtfredrickson.com Anyone who is feeling ill is encouraged not to attend. Due to current COVID-19 regulations, face masks will be required.