Janet J. Ehlers

Janet (Jan) June (Todd) Ehlers was born on April 3, 1940 in Ida County, Iowa and passed away on Monday, November 25, 2024 at Iowa Jewish Life Senior Center in Des Moines, Iowa.

Janet graduated in 1958 from Ida Grove High School and in 1959 she married her high school sweetheart, (William) Bill Ehlers at the Ida Grove Presbyterian Church. Their union was blessed with three children, Tammaria (Tammie) in 1960, Todd in 1967 and Amber in 1976. Before Bill’s unexpected and untimely death in 1990, their family lived, worked and farmed in many communities in Iowa including Ida Grove, Alta, Leon, Breda, Carroll, and Orient. After Bill’s passing, Janet lived at various times in Creston, Ames, Scottsdale, Arizona, Urbandale and most recently, Winterset and Lake Havasu, Arizona.

Janet loved to work and was a gifted and successful salesperson, working at various times for the Creston Shopper, Creston News Advertiser, and Ames Daily Tribune selling display advertising as well as an independent Farm Bureau agent and many retail and department stores including Neiman Marcus, Dillards, Seiferts, Draper and Damons, Dress Barn, Chicos and Younkers.

Janet was known for her innate sense of fashion, and was always dressed to the nines with a perfect coiffure and make-up on-point. She was a master-level shopper and was the queen of the resale shop. She had a knack for finding the best bargains and hidden gems. She loved to decorate (and redecorate) any home she lived in and could put together incredible rooms on a budget. Janet loved to travel. Special trips included France, Hawaii, Hilton Head and many beautiful locations all across the western United States with treasured friends and companions throughout her life.

Since 2016, Janet shared a home in Winterset, Iowa and Lake Havasu, Arizona with her partner Donovan (Doc) Lucas. After her retirement, Janet took great joy in spending time with her family, eating a good meal and cooking her family’s favorites including her legendary brownies.
Janet was an outgoing people person with an excellent sense of humor and she was a friend to many but especially her “Lunch Bunch” ladies - former Younkers coworkers who gathered weekly for lunch at Jordan Creek Mall.

Janet was preceded in death by her husband, Bill; her parents, Hazel (Arnold) Todd and Merrill (Matt) Todd; siblings, Robert (Bob) Todd and sister-in-law Catherine Todd of Storm Lake, Iowa; Harold Todd and sister-in-law Doris Todd of Ida Grove; sister Phyllis (Todd) Hall and brother-in-law Dale Hall of Gilmore City, Iowa; brother Donald (Donny) Todd and sister-in-law Rosemary Todd of Black Canyon City, Arizona.

Left to cherish her memory are daughter, Tammie (Ehlers) Brundage (Jerry) of Princeton, MO; son, Todd Ehlers (Abi) of Norton, KS; and daughter, Amber (Ehlers) Gustafson (Kory) of Ankeny; grandchildren, Julie (Brundage) Sealine (Amend) of Grimes; Kyle Brundage of Princeton, Missouri; Brad Brundage (Janelle) of Bryan, Texas; Samantha (Ehlers) Jacobson (Trent) of Ankeny; Trevor Ehlers (Kaitlyn) of Byron, Illinois, Texas; Kierra (Ehlers) Clymer of Creston; Justin Gustafson of Ankeny, Eos Gustafson of Chicago and Maylin Gustafson of Ankeny; and five great -grandchildren.

Graveside services will take place at 1:00 p.m. Monday, December 2, 2024 at the Ida Grove Cemetery.

A Celebration of Life will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 pm. Tuesday, December 3, 2024 at Hamilton’s on Westown Parkway, 3601 Westown Parkway in West Des Moines, Iowa.

Memorials may be made to Iowa Jewish Life Senior Center in Janet’s memory.

All who knew and loved Janet are welcome to join us to celebrate her memory. In her honor, we invite guests to wear their most fashionable ensemble with bright red or hot pink.

Condolences may be expressed at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

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