Janet Louise Simanek

Janet "Jan" Louise Simanek of Oshkosh, WI passed away Friday, August 30, 2024, at The Residence of Oshkosh. She will be remembered for her great love of family, joyful personality, and tenacious love of jigsaw puzzles, crossword puzzles, and all card games. 

Jan was born on June 7, 1935, in Racine, WI. She was the middle child of Otto and Anna Rasmussen and graduated from Park High School, Racine WI in 1953. She met her beloved husband Ralph in 1955 and they were married on August 11, 1956, enjoying 64 Years of marriage. They had three children, Lynn, Mark, and David and moved from Racine to Oshkosh, WI in 1971. Mom said it was the best decision they ever made as a family. 

Family, especially her children, was the most important thing. She was a devoted wife, mother, and “taxi service", joyfully transporting her children wherever they needed to go. She loved to attend her kid's events and reveled in their successes and coddled them when things didn’t go as planned. She was an avid bowler, a die-hard Packer fan and especially loved the Brewers, rarely missing a game on TV to the day she passed. Jan held many different jobs in her life, her favorite was as a transcriptionist at the Oshkosh Police Department. When she retired, she and Ralph spent 20+ years wintering in AZ. 

Jan is survived by her daughter Lynn (Monte) Caravello, Madison, WI, her sons Mark (Kathy) Simanek, Rib Lake, WI and David Otto Simanek, Los Angeles, CA. She will also be dearly missed by her grandchildren Emily (Alex) Sullivan and Andrew Simanek (Kate), MN and Casey Caravello (Artie), TN and Sam Caravello, WI, and her great grandchildren, Vivienne Sullivan and Artie Joel (Tre’) Flores. 

Jan was preceded in death by her husband Ralph, her grandson Alexander Joseph Simanek (22), her parents Otto and Anna, her sister Barbara (Dale) Johnson and brother, Jim Rasmussen. 

The family would like to thank nurse Lisa and the staff at The Residence at Oshkosh for treating her like family and making her feel welcome in her new home. 

A Celebration of life will be held on Saturday, September 28 at Konrad-Behlman Funeral Home-Westside, 100 Lake Pointe Dr., Oshkosh from 1-3 PM. Jan loved to dine out at a variety of restaurants in Oshkosh and was a good tipper so, in lieu of flowers, the family requests you to consider an extra-large tip for your server in her honor the next time you dine out.