Janet McFarlane, 82, a former longtime Longview area resident, passed away on the evening of May 9, 2016 in Sedro-Woolley, from complications resulting from a stroke April 9th. She was born on November 17, 1933 in Nemaha, Nebraska.
Jan spent her entire married years being a housewife and mother who enjoyed her family and found complete joy in caring for her husband ‘Jerry’ during their retirement years. She also found great delight in her grandchildren!
She is survived by her husband and high school sweetheart of 61 years, John G. ‘Jerry’ McFarlane; her daughter and son-in-law, Jill and Everett Cole, and Jill’s sons, Jeremy McClain, and Ryan McClain and his wife Stephanie; her son and daughter-in-law, Joel and Nicole McFarlane and their children, Cari, Liam, and Mica McFarlane and by many relatives in Nebraska and the Midwest. Jan was preceded in death by her father, Glen Duerfeldt and mother and step-father, Bessie (Duerfeldt) & Lyle Bowen.
At this time there will be no services. If desired, friends may make memorial contributions to the Lower Columbia Regional Cancer Center, 1615 Delaware Street, Longview, WA 98632 where Jan and Jerry both received exceptional care during the last several years when both were diagnosed with cancer. Jan continued to help the center after she was in remission by making and donating Teddy Bears and Dolls for children that were receiving cancer treatments. Mom you are loved and missed. God Bless you.
Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Lemley Chapel, Sedro-Woolley, WA.
I Love You Grandma
Jan is one of the sweetest neighbors I have ever known, she greeted people as she went for her walk. She shared Teddy Bears and dolls…my granddaughters got many. She would often come over for a visit, always smiling and with a funny story to tell.
Jerry would often call to remind me that I still had the garage door open.
Jerry and family, I am so sorry for your loss, as it is our loss too!
I work at the pharmacy John and Janet used and I could always tell it was them through the drive thru window by the Garfield in the back window. I loved seeing them almost every day, they remind me so much of my own grandparents. I have a few favorite customers at work, and they made the top 5. I always had a goal to make John smile it chuckle at least once when they came through, I succeeded about 90% of the time. I’m so sorry for your loss and my thoughts are with your family.
I have SO MANY wonderful memories of Jan and Jerry. They were our neighbors for a while in Diablo. I was a young boy. They were recently married. Jan tested her cookie recipes on us! It doesn’t get much better than that! I still remember the way she looked at Jerry and you could see the adoration in her eyes. And she was always quick to smile and laugh.
Jerry had the first stereo I ever heard. I remember listening to a stereo demo record called, I believe, whistles in the woods and it was the first time I heard recorded sound move from one side of the room to the other! Jerry was also a model railroader and I remember hanging out at their house doing model railroading stuff. They were also the first people I knew with a Corvette and that was, and is, pretty cool!
I remember them as the epitome of a loving couple and I am very sorry to hear of Jan’s passing and wish Jerry and the rest of their family the best in this difficult time.