Janet Anne Stengel Meadows

Janet Anne Stengel Meadows December 21, 1944 -August 30, 2026

Janet Anne Stengel Meadows was born December 21, 1944 in Freeport, Illinois. She was the daughter of Edward L. and Lucille V. (Schelling) Stengel. The youngest of 4 children, she grew up on the family farm near Mt. Morris, Illinois, experiencing all that farm life entails, with animals, chores, 4H, and spending lots of time outdoors. She led an enriched and nurtured life, blessed with a loving family and church life at St. James Lutheran Church. She attended Coon Creek Elementary, a one-room country school, and Mt. Morris Junior and Senior High Schools, graduating with the class of 1963.

She was a 1967 graduate of Wartburg College, earning a BA in Music with a Pipe Organ major. She sang for three years in the a cappella Wartburg Choir which included touring for six weeks in Europe in the summer of 1965. After graduation she moved to Colorado for her first job as a student summer assistant in the music therapy department at the State Hospital in Pueblo. In 1968 Janet completed her Colorado K-6 vocal music teaching certification at CSU and then taught for ten years.

Janet met John Frank Meadows in 1971 and they married in Denver on June 17, 1972. After a six week honeymoon in Mexico, they established their first home in Boulder, Colorado. John was hired by Ball Brothers Corporation with his Electrical Engineering degree. He became the Senior Quality Assurance Engineer for all five Ball-built cameras manufactured for the Hubble Space Telescope. John was born October 28, 1938 and passed away December 26, 2019.

During their idyllic 47 ½ years of marriage, Janet and John loved time in the mountains, fishing, camping, and skiing. They also enjoyed friends, music, and gardening. During their time in Boulder, Janet participated in many activities and served on multiple committees at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church including the women's ensemble and festival choir. She also played harp at church and at other events. She was supportive of her family in Illinois with frequent visits. She served on the board at the Good Samaritan Boulder.

In 2009, Janet and John moved to their new home in Loveland, Colorado, and became members of King of Glory Lutheran Church.

In 2015, Janet was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, which significantly altered her way of life. This quickly led to her dependence on a power wheelchair, which she eventually used to travel, according to the chair's odometer, over 2,700 miles during the next 10+ years.

During Janet's life, she was a business owner and enjoyed drawing, water color painting, baking, and spending time with, and celebrating, her dear husband, family, and friends.

Janet is survived by her sister, Joyce Salter, and numerous nieces & nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, brother Joseph E. Stengel, sister Jean L. Pittman, and her husband, John.

Burial with family at West Grove Cemetery, Forreston, Illinois.

"Jan loved people! She was blessed to encounter and be surrounded by a plethora of amazing people during her life. At least that is how she would say it. She was the biggest fan of the people around her, never hesitating to share how amazing everyone was. She saw the best in people, and shared it unashamedly. If one ever visited her and John, they would be met with friendly hospitality, often wonderful piano or harp music, a delicious dinner, and of course, tasty dessert, which was probably some form of chocolate." - nephew David A

Jan is one of my very best friends of all time--and the very first one in Boulder when I moved there in 1976. She is one of the most wonderful people I've ever known.

Speaking as one of the harp community of students that Jan was so prominently a member of for decades-and being her harp teacher-all attest to her selfless giving of attention, warmth, and positive support unconditionally. In fact, to this day, each and every harpist she knew asks after Jan when we speak. All say the same thing, "Jan is such a positive spirit in the world. She brings out my best self and is always interested in what I'm doing. It's a joy to be around her. There are few people I've known with such a loving soul.' (shared thoughts by Carolyn Kuban, harp teacher and best friend of Jan for over 50 years!)

A memorial service for both Janet & John on Monday October 12, 2026 at 1:00 P.M. in St. James Lutheran Church, Forreston, IL with Pastor Andrew Kayes officiating. A visitation will be held on October 12, 2026 in St. James Lutheran Church from 12:00 P.M. until service time.

Burial with family will be in West Grove Cemetery, Forreston, IL.