Janet Louise Shaver was born on November 12, 1935, in St. Francis, Kansas to Walter J and Helen Louise (Piper) Shaver. She had one older sibling, John Wesley Shaver. Janet was called to her eternal home on January 12, 2024, to sing in the angel choir.
Janet grew up on the family farm in Armel, Colorado surrounded by many relatives and friends. Growing up she helped her father out in the milking barn with the cows and other animals. Horses were a favorite of Janets. She rode as often as she could and was not afraid of standing on the horses back and other tricks. She also helped with the family garden and many other outdoor chores.
She attended several of the one-room school houses in the area, including Bunker Hill, Liberty, and the Beecher Island school. She attended 2 years of high school at the Armel High School and 2 years at Idalia High School, graduating in May of 1953. While in high school she participated in softball and sang in the school and the church choirs and was a member of the Armel Youth group. Through Armel Church activities is where Janet met her first love, Dale Harold Ekberg. They were engaged before she graduated.
After graduation, Janet worked at the drug store in St. Francis, Kansas. Dale and Janet were married on New Years Eve in December of 1953 at the Armel church. They lived in a couple of rented homes in the Hale area at first and eventually purchased Angie Ekbergs home and farm. Dale was a farmer and rancher and Janet was ever at his side during this endeavor.
Janet and Dale had 3 children: Debra Kay, Donna Jo, and Linda Rae.
The family was in the process of building up their farm when was Dale was taken from them in December of 1978. Janet carried on with the farming for a bit and then leased it out. She managed to work various jobs in the community such as checking wells, carrying mail, and waiting tables. She kept her family together and got them all through various colleges of their choice.
Working at the Prairie Vista, Janet met her second love, Walter C. Smith. They were together for many years and married in October of 1998. They were married for 25 years as of October 2023. Janet traveled with Walt while he was still working and thoroughly enjoyed her life with him. They had a beautiful home together at the farm and enjoyed their time up in Story, Wyoming as well.
Janet loved to crochet, cross stitch, and make quilts for all family members. She also sewed many clothes for her girls and all her grandkids when they were growing up. She was an awesome baker with something always on hand to serve friends and family that stopped by. You knew you were important to her when she brought you homemade cookies or her sour cream chocolate cake. Janet loved her grandkids and enjoyed having them stay with her at the farm. All of them learned to drive there, first in the little red kids’ pickup, on riding lawnmowers and later in the Bobcat club car. They all helped her pull weeds, mow, and many other chores. She instilled a love for life and being outdoors in all of them.
Janet was preceded in death by her first husband, Dale Ekberg, parents Jack and Helen Shaver, and brother John Shaver and his wife Lucy. She is survived by her husband, Walt Smith, children Deb and Dave Smith, Donna and Pat Reiman, and Linda Johnson, 5 grandchildren JoLynne (Reiman) and Allen Fisher, Jarryd Reiman, Hannah Johnson, Jordynn Reiman and Dale Johnson, and 3 great-grandchildren, Colton, Henry and Wyatt Fisher and numerous nieces, nephews, family members and so many community friends.
Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, January 23, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. at the St. John Church in Idalia, Colorado. Interment will be held in the Armel Cemetery in Armel, Colorado. Memorials may be made to the Old Town Burlington for the Armel Church Maintenance. Schmidt-Jones Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
