Janice Koetje

Janice Mae Koetje, age 75, of Willmar, died Saturday morning, June 30, at Rice Memorial Hospital in Willmar.
Funeral services will be 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 3, at Calvary Lutheran Church in Willmar with Rev. Timothy Larson officiating. Interment will be in the Cloverleaf Memorial Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday at Peterson Brothers Funeral Home in Willmar and one hour prior to the service at the church.
Janice Mae Koetje was born November 13, 1931, in Osceola Township, Renville County, near Hector, Minnesota, the daughter of Walter E. and Erna E. (Trapp) Brede. She grew up in the rural Hector community, was baptized and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church in Brookfield Township near Hector and attended District 138 schools. She worked as a caregiver in the Hector area and later moved to Willmar, where she worked at Boslund Bootery. On April 30, 1961, she married Henry Koetje at Trinity Lutheran Church near Hector and they made their home in Willmar. For many years, she cared for Henry before he moved to the Veterans Affairs Home in Minneapolis.
Janice enjoyed baking, cooking, jigsaw puzzles and growing flowers. She also loved to visit with family and friends.
She is survived by her husband, Henry; a daughter, Cheryl (and Thomas) Lenertz of Tracy and three grandchildren, Kimberly Lenertz (and fiance, Scott) of Currie, Michael Lenertz of Tracy and Michelle Lenertz of Tracy. Also surviving are a sister, Arlys Schmeling of Hector; a sister-in-law, Henrietta Naber of Renton, Washington; a brother-in-law, Jake Koetje of Willmar; nieces and nephews and other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents and five brothers-in-law, Elmer Schmeling, Garrit Koetje, Harold Koetje, August Koetje and LeRoy Naber.