Janet J. Shoemaker

June 28, 1967 - March 14, 2019

Janet J. Shoemaker Omaha Resident Janet Jo Shoemaker, 51, of Omaha, passed away on Thursday, March 14, 2019 at the Buffet Cancer Center in Omaha. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, March 18, 2019 at Kearney E-Free Church. Pastor Tim Squier and Pastor John Fowler will officiate. Interment will be at Box Elder Cemetery in Custer County, Nebraska. Visitation will be 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Sunday, March 17 at O’Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral Home in Kearney. Memorials are suggested to Homeward Trail Bible Camp or Boys and Girls Club of Omaha. Condolences may be shared online at www.osrfh.com. Services are entrusted to O’Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral and Cremation Services. Janet Jo Shoemaker was born on June 28, 1967 in Sargent, Nebraska to Eldon and Linda (Sawyer) Shoemaker. Janet spent most of her early years living with her family north of Burwell where she attended grade school at Cedar Creek School. In 1978, she moved with her family to the farm south of Ansley and Janet completed her grade school education at Flatbottom school. During Janet’s high school years, the family moved frequently, and she attended Ansley High School, Loup County High School and graduated in 1985 from Sandhills High School as the Salutatorian of her class. Following high school, Janet attended Kearney State College and graduated with a degree in Accounting. Soon after graduation, Janet realized accounting was not for her and returned to college graduating with a degree in Elementary Education. She spent the rest of her life teaching the students that she loved. Janet spent her early years of teaching in northwest Nebraska teaching in rural schools located in Ashby and south of Gordon. After spending a couple of years in the Bassett and Burwell areas, Janet moved to Omaha to be close to her sister and started substitute teaching at Omaha Public Schools which became a full-time job at Skinner Magnet Center. She spent 13 years teaching 3rd grade until the time of her passing. Left to cherish her memory are her sister, Vickie Worden and her husband, Ray of Gretna, Nebraska; brother, Terry Shoemaker and his wife, Patty of Elsmere, Nebraska; nieces, Leah Shoemaker and Terra Shoemaker; nephew, Clint Shoemaker; great-niece Gracie Gillespie, all of Elsmere; aunts and uncles, Kay and Della Sawyer of Central City, Garry and Carol Squier of Merna, Karen Sawyer of Brady, Glenn Sawyer of Mason City, Arlene Shoemaker of Kearney, Cliff Jameson of Kearney, and Norman and Elaine Anderson of Broken Bow; along with many cousins, fellow school teachers, students and family friends. Janet was preceded in death by her parents, Eldon and Linda Shoemaker; her grandparents; aunts and uncles, Mel Shoemaker, Lois Jameson, Ralph and Eunice Shoemaker, Ken Sawyer and Marilyn Sawyer; and cousin Tami Sawyer.