Janet Stutzman Obituary

Janet Smeaton Stutzman, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, neighbor, and friend passed away on September 25, 2025, at the age of 70. Born on May 27, 1955 in Passaic, NJ, Jan grew up in East Brunswick, and lived most of her adult life in Upper Township, NJ where she raised her family and established family-like friendships with all of her neighbors.

A natural caregiver, Jan held many roles in her nursing career of 38 years. She worked in operating rooms, medical-surgical patient care units, and geriatric care facilities before landing at Holy Redeemer as a Hospice Nurse. Comforting countless patients and their families through their most challenging moments, Jan believed that compassion and dignity should be at the heart of every interaction. She often spent hours with families, hearing stories, and even grieving with them at end-of-life services. In retirement, she accompanied her daughter on a medical mission trip, serving over one thousand patients in rural Uganda.

Outside of nursing, caring for her flowers and lawn was one of Jan's greatest pleasures, forever toiling to protect them from moles and the yearly deluge of autumn leaves. When she wasn't gardening, you could find Jan in her kitchen inventing new recipes, dancing all over the house to her favorite playlists, or jumping around her living room as she cheered on her favorite teams, The New York Giants and Mets, and Rutgers and University of Maryland football and basketball.

Jan's absolute favorite roles were Sweetheart to her husband of nearly 49 years, Mom to her children, and Pockie to her adoring grandchildren. She showed her love in small and grand ways. She covered them with blankets when it was cold (and sometimes when it wasn't), placed her trusty pencil lamp next to them when she thought they needed more reading light, mailed packages to arrive exactly on their birthdays, taxied their teammates from practices and games in her van, and left little welcome notes for them on the kitchen table. Jan also dropped everything to be at their sides in times of crisis and celebration, often magically arriving with a fresh plate of brownies or a full tray of lasagna.

Jan is survived by her husband, Dave; her children and their spouses, Cathy, Lora, Kim (Brandon), and Bill (Katie); her sister, Barbara Marriner, and brother-in-law, Joey; and her eight grandchildren, Blair, Evelyn, James, David, Penny, Wyatt, Liam, and Ellie, who were the joy of her retirement. She never missed a chance to attend one of their events, splash with them through puddles, help them swim away from the "sharks in the water!", care for them when they were sick, or offer tons of hugs. She is also survived by many beloved nephews, nieces, and extended family and friends.

She is predeceased by her parents, Doris and Ed Smeaton; her brother, Jack Smeaton; her mother-in-law, Ginny Stutzman; her father-in-law, Bill Stutzman; her grandmother, Grace Waechter; and her loving pup, Diesel.

Jan will be remembered for her generosity, her compassion, her infinite strength and energy, her famous beans and grilled salty chicken, and her unmatched care for others. Her life was one of service, and as her final act, Jan bequeathed her body to science through Rutgers Medical School. Her legacy continues in the medical students whose careers she will help launch and in the lives of those who carry with them her spirit of care.

Rather than a formal service, Jan's family will open their home at 17 Hummingbird Avenue in Petersburg from 1to 4 p.m. on Saturday, October 18th, to friends and family who would like to stop by to celebrate her extraordinary life. They request that visitors wear their favorite comfy clothes or sports jerseys.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Cancer Society.