Jacqueline Janz

Jacqueline “Jackie” Janz began her new life in heaven on April 28th, 2026. She was and will always be a light to the world, a faithful follower of Jesus Christ, as well as a devoted grandmother, mother-in-law, friend, daughter, niece, wife, pet owner, and the greatest mother who ever lived.

She was born on December 30th, 1951 to Jack and Martha Janz. Before she started school, her family briefly lived on a farm, which kindled in Jackie a lifelong love of animals. She was especially fond of her cats (including Sweetie, Cuddles, Bandit, Sporty, and Kitty) and her dogs (which included Petey, Muffy, Sally, and Oliver). It is for this reason that we request that you donate to Natalie’s Second Chance dog shelter in lieu of flowers if you’d like to honor Jackie.

Jackie lived and attended school in Delphi, Indiana, where she made many friends and developed several lifelong bonds. She participated in many activities, but her favorite was cheerleading. Her hard work, skill, and passion helped her to win a spot in the inaugural group of Indiana Pacers cheerleaders. As a Pacemate, Jackie was a true leader and devoted supporter of the team, and in 1972, Jackie got to celebrate an ABA Championship with the franchise.

Somehow, Jackie also found time during this period of her life to manage a full-time course load at Indiana University, where she majored in Elementary Education and became a member of Alphi Chi Omega. Jackie absolutely adored her sorority and cherished the friendships she made there. In the decades after graduation, Jackie remained an ardent supporter of IU and kept in touch with many of her sorority sisters.

Jackie’s life changed when she had a son in 1973. And since he’s the one writing this, he’s going to switch to the first-person now and just tell you what kind of woman Jackie was.

My early memories of my mom were of a constant, loving, patient, determined, attentive, sincere, hilarious, encouraging woman. When she wasn’t working to support our two-person family, she would play with me, read to me, laugh with me, and ask me to tell her stories. Though we hardly had any money (a fact I didn’t realize then), we had happiness, as well as my mom’s creativity and unceasing energy. She would design and tailor my Halloween costumes, draw and color artwork for my birthday parties, and create fun activities that helped me to grow and learn. She took me to the library, where I checked out Peanuts books and the John Williams Star Wars albums. She played catch with me and encouraged me to climb trees and shoot baskets. We watched movies and TV shows together, and every night I begged her to let me stay up late, a wish she sometimes granted despite the fact that she had to wake up early the next morning to work a full-time job. Basically, she was the greatest mom any child could have, and because of her love and selfless devotion to me, my childhood was magical and an absolute blessing.

Additionally, by being an incredible mother, my mom made me want to be a loving parent. Because of her endless enthusiasm and inexhaustible patience, I wanted to be a teacher, just like her. Due to her constant emphasis on using my imagination, I became an author.

Everything I am, I owe to my mother.

My mom excelled in several roles during her professional career, most of them in education. She was a teacher, an area leader in workforce development, a representative of the Monticello Chamber of Commerce, a cheerleading coach, and more. She was impactful in all of these roles, but what I appreciate most about my mom’s interactions with others involves something one of my daughters said about her the other day: “Grandma Jackie lit up every room she entered and brought joy wherever she went.”

That was my mom.

Beautiful inside and out, my mother brought light and love to everyone she encountered. After my mom’s passing, my wife went to various places to wrap up my mom’s business transactions, and everywhere my wife went, she was met with gasps, shocked faces, and tears when she informed people of my mom’s passing. Everyone who met my mom—from her family and friends to people at grocery stores and restaurants—was touched by her luminous, loving spirit.

She was an incredible daughter to my grandparents and a devoted wife to Randy Wagner for thirty-six years. She also loved her daughter-in-law, my wife Monica, dearly. In fact, it was due to my mom’s persistence that I tried out for a local production of Cinderella twenty-six years ago. It turns out that my mom had heard that the young woman who was to play Cinderella was a very special person. Because she wanted me to meet Cinderella, Mom strongly encouraged me to play the role of Prince Charming, and because of her efforts, I met my future wife. This is why we should always listen to our mothers.

My mom was also an incredible grandmother to my three children (Jack, Juliet, and Evana). She cherished them from the moment they were born, and she always made them feel seen, heard, and valued. She loved attending their sporting events, concerts, and musicals. One of our friends recently mentioned that she always remembered my mom in the audience at preschool shows because a) she was so beautiful and b) because she was always the most enthusiastic and supportive member of the crowd. Like her parents were to me, my mom was an extraordinary grandparent to my children, and her love, guidance, and support have helped them become the wonderful young people they are.

Supportive. That’s a word to which I return again and again when I think of my mom. When I changed schools from Delphi to Twin Lakes in seventh grade and spent months without a single friend, it was my mom who kept me afloat. “It will happen,” she used to assure me. “Just be yourself, and you’ll find friends.” Mom supported me through rejection, through failure, through self-doubt, even through acne. She continued to support me in college and the beginning of my teaching career. Even when I thought I was a failure as a teacher and a coach, she continued to believe in me. Later, when I felt ill-prepared for parenthood and worried I wouldn’t be the father I wanted to be, Mom constantly reassured me and told me that I was enough.

And whether or not that was true, Mom made me believe it. She also made me believe I could be an author, even though every editor and agent in the publishing industry seemed to think otherwise. Mom’s faith in me, her strength, her faith in God, and her relentless positivity have always kept me afloat.

And now she’s no longer with us, at least in body, and all of us who know her are hurting. But our pain is a testament to how special, how extraordinary my mother was. She was a difference-maker. She was a steadfast believer. She was a rock. And though she was only five feet two and three quarters (She always made sure I included the three quarters), she was a giant in my life and the lives of all those who knew her.

Jacqueline Janz was a phenomenal human being, and I owe everything to her. My marriage, my children, my love of animals, my teaching career, and my writing career—I’d have none of these things without the woman who gave me life, who guided me, who supported me, and who most of all loved me.

I love you, Mom. We all love you. We’ll remember you every day and celebrate you. And we’ll do our best to honor your memory by bringing joy to others, by caring about them, by putting their wellbeing above our own, and by living our faith the way you always did.

Your life on Earth ended too soon, Mom, but I know you’ve already made heaven a brighter place just by being you. God bless you. Thank you for everything. I’m so proud of you, and I’m so proud to be your son.

We’ll love you forever, Mom. And someday, we’ll all be together again.