Beloved wife, mother, and grandmother, Janet Ann Moe of La Crosse passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family, on May 30, 2016 at Franciscan Mayo Healthcare in La Crosse following a brief illness.

Janet was born on August 28, 1938 in La Crosse to Myron C. and Lucille A. (Bullinger) Purdy.  A “surprise”, late in life baby, Janet remembered fondly her childhood and enjoyed telling stories of attending Holy Cross and the Country School, family visits to Red Wing and her “nanny” Mrs. Muetz.

Janet graduated from Aquinas High School in 1956.  A major highlight of her teen years was seeing Elvis when he played the old Mary E. Sawyer Auditorium.  She then attended, briefly, Viterbo before enrolling in the St. Francis School of Nursing, graduating in 1960.

While working at St. Francis Hospital, Janet met a former Navy corpsman, John L. Moe.  They were married on November 4, 1961 at St. Mary’s in La Crosse.  They lived in La Crosse and raised two daughters, Sarah and Stefanie.

During Janet’s forty-three year nursing career at St. Francis, she worked on the medical unit, psychiatric unit, was head nurse of the drug and alcohol rehab unit and finally, was a charge nurse at the St. Francis Home in the old St. Ann’s Hospital.  It was not at all unusual over the years, when Janet was out in public, for her former psychiatric and rehab patients to approach her and ask “Do you remember taking care of me?”  She would always take their hand in hers and listen to them.  That was just who she was.

After her nursing career ended, Janet enjoyed her trips to the library for mystery novels, perusing her extensive cookbook collection, her big pile of Sunday newspapers, her pets, fine chocolate, good coffee at Bean Juice, soup from Pickerman’s and lunch with friends at Schmidty’s.  But most of all, she enjoyed time spent with her three beloved granddaughters of whom she was so proud.

Janet is survived by her husband John, her daughters Sarah Moe and Stefanie Miller of La Crosse, her adored son-in-law Jeffery Miller, her granddaughters Scarlet, Emily and Caitlin Miller, her sister Marilyn Carroll of La Crosse, numerous nieces and nephews and her pets, Molly the setter and Chessie the cat.

In addition to her parents, Janet was preceded in death by a brother, Myron E. (Pat) Purdy, a sister, Jeanne Preeschl, brothers-in-law Robert (Kootch) Carroll and Roland Preeschl, mother-in-law Jane Justin, sister-in-law Cynthia Justin, nephew Shawn Carroll and niece Debra Preeschl.

The family would like to thank Dr. Luchsinger, Dr. Gehrke, Dr. Deyo and Dr. Flanagan and the entire ICU/CCU staff at Franciscan Mayo and the nurses on 9^th for the kind and compassionate care given to Janet.  Back in the day, she would have considered it a privilege to work with all of you.  Thank you.

Friends may call at Coulee Region Cremation Group, 133 Mason St.  Onalaska on Wednesday, June 8^th, from 5pm-7pm.  A private family burial will follow at Woodlawn Cemetery in La Crosse at a later date.  In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be made in Janet’s name to the Coulee Region Humane Society or St. Clare Health Mission.