Memorial
Janet Faye Young Webster went to meet her Lord on July 7, 2024, surrounded by her family at Harmony, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Visitation will be held at Cedar Memorial Chapel of Memories in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, July 19, 2024, from 2:00 -3:00 pm. Funeral services will be held at the Chapel immediately following at 3:00 pm. A private burial service will be held following the service.
Janet was born at Allen Memorial Hospital in Waterloo, Iowa on January 18, 1934. She was the youngest daughter of Faye Jeanette Hutson Young Buse and John Ewing Young and sister of Margaret Lou Willasson.
Janet grew up in Cedar Rapids and attended Johnson Elementary and Benjamin Franklin Senior High School. After graduation, Janet attended Lindenwood College for Women in St. Charles, Missouri studying journalism and playing third base for the Lindenwood Lions. She came home after sophomore year for the summer break and met a handsome sailor named David Ralph Webster. They were married on Jan. 8, 1955, in Center Point, Iowa with their brother-in-law Reverend Woody Poore, officiating.
During W.W. II, Janet and her family lived in Hollywood, California and Chicago, Illinois. Her father worked for the Santa Fe Railroad as a conductor transporting troops for the war effort. The Young family returned to Cedar Rapids in 1946.
Janet and David were the parents of four children: Susan Titus (Tom) Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Beth Johannsen (Jeff), West Branch, Iowa, Kathy Buwalda, Cedar Rapids, Iowa and David John Webster.
When Janet's children were growing up, Janet was active in P.T.A. and the Campfire Girls program. She was completely devoted to her God and St. Paul's United Methodist Church. She was baptized there in 1941 and remained a member until her passing.
Janet was a 12th generation descendant of the Pilgrims, John Howland and Elizabeth Tilley Howland. She served three years as Deputy Governor of the General Society of Mayflower Descendants of Iowa and six years as Governor. A great delight for Janet and Dave was their trip to America's Hometown in Plymouth, Massachusetts. They were both interested in American History and traveled to New England, Gettysburg and many other national historical sights.
Janet was a friend to all living things and had unforgettable relationships with people who were less fortunate than herself.
When Pastor Sherrie Ilg came to St. Paul's in 2010, Rev. Dr. Ilg had an idea for a lemonade stand in front of the church. Janet volunteered to be the Lemonade Lady and spent many hours organizing and working at the stand, always grateful for the people that supported this endeavor. Janet told her family that she dearly loved the time spent at the lemonade stand with the neighborhood folks.
Janet was a graduate of the School for Lay Ministry at Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa. She completed a three-year Disciple Course and in recent years enjoyed being a member of the Memoir Class at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church.
Janet and David were blessed with five grandchildren, Jennifer Stephens
(Charlie), Nicholas Heintz, Amy Foster (Jason), Sarah Johannsen and Jonathan Buwalda, six great grandchildren, Jordan Clark, Chloe Clark, Kinnick and Kennedy Porter, Faye and Finnley Foster, and two great-great grandchildren, Davrynn and Damien Meredith.
Janet was preceded in death by her parents, John E. Young, Faye Hutson Buse, sister, Margaret L. Willasson, her husband, David Ralph Webster, son, David John Webster, and son in-law, Harley Buwalda.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Cedar Valley Humane Society or St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
The family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff at Evergreen Estates, Harmony Cedar Rapids, St. Croix Hospice, Dr. Matt Gray and Unity Point Clinic Family Medicine, Dr. Melissa Heinricy and Shana at Cedar Rapids Hearing Center and the staff at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church for their loving care and guidance.