Janet Ruth (Williams) Rodeheffer

Janet Ruth (Williams) Rodeheffer, 86, Carmel, Indiana, formerly a resident of Indianapolis and New Lexington, Ohio, died peacefully in her sleep Sunday, February 12, 2017 following an extended illness. Visitation will begin at 11:00 am, February 17, 2017 at Broad Ripple United Methodist Church in Indianapolis, 6185 N. Guilford Ave. A funeral service will be held at the church the same day at 1:00 pm, with Rev. Brent Wright officiating. Interment will be at Oaklawn Memorial Gardens. All are invited to a luncheon at the church afterward.
Janet was born October 29, 1930, in New Lexington, Ohio, to Edward (Happy) and Pauline Brown Williams. Janet grew up in a large, close knit family. They lived in what was referred to as “the little red house” where Janet shared a single bathroom with her parents, two sisters and three brothers. Janet graduated from New Lexington High School where she was named homecoming queen and met her future husband, James (Jim). After Jim’s service in the US Coast Guard, they moved to Indianapolis where he accepted a teaching position.
Janet and Jim believed in the importance of family and service to the church. Their children grew up at Broad Ripple United Methodist Church where Janet and was an active member for over 60 years. A beautiful soprano, she was a long time member of the church choir. Choir, for Janet and Jim was a service of devotion and love. They gained many close friends, enjoying their fellowship and group outings.
Janet improved her skills and enjoyed life in many ways. She became a Licensed Practical Nurse and volunteered in hospice at Methodist Hospital. Janet loved music and took singing lessons to improve in choir. She enjoyed bird watching at Butler University’s Holcomb Gardens. While visiting a park with her son in Michigan, Janet delighted in the birds lighting on her hand as she fed them. Janet enjoyed her exercise classes and the friends she made there. Even in her later years, she maintained an orderly household and bonded lovingly with her cat Purrfect.
Janet enjoyed seeing her family in Ohio. She visited her Mother Pauline, brothers, sisters, and extended family on a regular basis and enjoyed the outdoors on some rustic, rolling property known as Happy Highlands where the family built homes.
Janet is survived by her son Paul (Cynthia), and their children Marissa and Marielle, her son Mark (Brenda) and their children James, Robert and Laura, and by her daughter Nancy (Dirk) and their children Jacob, Jesse, Jared and Joshua as well as by eight great grandchildren. She is also survived by brothers Robert, Joe and Jimmy. Janet was preceded in death by her parents and sisters Gloria Barker and Barbara Tefft.

Memorial gifts may be given to Broad Ripple United Methodist Church in lieu of flowers. Arrangements were entrusted to Flanner and Buchanan-Broad Ripple.