Janet Ruby Hertel, 90, of Liberty Township, Van Wert County, Ohio, passed away peacefully Tuesday evening, April 29, 2025, at Hearth & Home of Van Wert.
She was born on February 10, 1935, in Van Wert County, the daughter of the late Donald Orland and the late Della Bernice (McGinnis) Bowers. On September 4, 1954, at Calvary Evangelical Church in Van Wert, she was united in holy matrimony to Joe Dean Hertel and they were blessed with almost seventy years of married life together until he preceded her in death on August 19, 2024. God also blessed them with the gift of a daughter, Kathy (Mark) Wiseman of Liberty Township. Other surviving family members include a grandson, Bryce Wiseman of Fort Wayne, Indiana, and granddaughter, Amber “AJ” Wiseman of Van Wert; two brothers, Larry (Carla) Bowers of Montezuma, Ohio, and Kent (Paula) Bowers of Van Wert; and a sister, Nancy (Larry) Black of Middle Point, Ohio.
Janet graduated as the valedictorian of the Hoaglin-Jackson High School class of 1953 and dedicated her life to serving her family as a farmer’s wife, homemaker, mother, and gardener. She was a charter member of Calvary Evangelical Church and served for many years as an officer of the Women’s Missionary Society and a leader of the Calvary Gardeners. Janet also served for over sixty years as a member and officer of the Van Wert County Homemakers and Community Education Council. She also enjoyed traveling to attend Farmers Union and Oliver Gang events with her husband Joe.
Besides her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by a brother, Charles Bowers, and a sister, Linda (Carl) Girod.
Services will be held at 10:30 a.m., on Monday, May 5, 2025, at Cowan & Son Funeral Home in Van Wert with Rev. W. Clark Williman officiating. Interment will follow at Ohio City Woodlawn Cemetery. Calling hours are 2-5 p.m. Sunday and one hour ahead of services on Monday at the funeral home.
Preferred memorials are to Calvary Evangelical Church or Everheart Hospice. Expressions of sympathy may be forwarded at cowanfuneralhome.com, Tribute Wall.