Janette L. Duncan

Janette L. Duncan, 59, of Sioux City, passed away on Monday, May 19, 2008, at St. Lukes Hospital. A closed casket visitation will be held on Wednesday, May 21, 2008, from 3-8 p.m. with the family present from 6-8 p.m. A prayer service will begin at 7:00 p.m. at Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel. The funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 22, 2008, at Westminster Presbyterian Church with Reverend John Pehrson, and brothers-in-law, Kenrad Pederson and Steve Ziebarth officiating. Burial will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery.

Janette was born on December 9, 1948 at Methodist Hospital in Mitchell, South Dakota to Lesley V. and Leonore J. (Aaland) Irwin. She was raised on a farm 40 miles northeast of Mitchell, SD. Janette attended Argonne Country School in Miner County, SD thru the 8th grade. She attended her Freshman year at Fedora High School in Fedora, SD, she then graduated from Howard High School in 1967 in Howard, SD. Janette then attended Dakota State University in Madison, SD from 1967 thru 1971 where she graduated with a B.S. degree in Elementary Education and Minors in special education and social sciences. Janette later attended Morningside College, Drake University and the University of South Dakota working on graduate courses.

Janette taught 15 years in special education and 17 years in regular education, starting in May of 1971 where she subbed the 4th grade at West Monona in Onawa, IA. That fall she began teaching special education at West Monona until 1978. Janette then began teaching at Emerson Elementary School in Sioux City from the fall of 1978 until 1992 when she moved to Lowell Elementary School where she retired.

On July 1, 1978, Janette married Daniel A. Duncan in Roswell, South Dakota. To this union two sons were born.

Survivors include her husband, Daniel Duncan of Sioux City, 2 sons, Robert Lesley Duncan and Daniel Anfelt Duncan, Jr. both of Sioux City, IA, 2 brothers, Vernon Irwin and wife Carol of Florissant, MO, and Roger Irwin and wife Myrna of Britton, SD, 3 sisters, Kathryn Ziebarth and husband Steve of Sioux Falls, SD, Laurel Prostrollo and husband Wayne of Hartford, SD, and Mary Pederson and husband Kenrad of Jamestown, ND, 7 nieces and 12 nephews, several great-nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Lesley V. and Leonore J. Irwin and twin brothers, Willard and Wendell Irwin.