Janet King Obituary
Janet Schaefer King, 67, of Colorado Springs, CO and Lansing, KS died October 16, 2009 at her home in Lansing. A private burial was held at Leavenworth National Cemetery, Leavenworth, KS. A memorial service was held in Kansas on October 24. A memorial reception will occur in her Colorado Springs home on Saturday, November 14, from 2:00 to 6:00 pm. Janet was preceded in death by her parents; her son, Steven King; her brother, Craig Schaefer; and her sister, Edna Mae Schaefer. She is survived by her husband, Lowell; her son, James King, Manitou Springs, CO; her daughters and their husbands, Bethany (Gilbert) Stevenson and Carrie (Scott) Allan, all of Lansing, KS; her brother Bradford (Sandy) Schaefer, Ormond Beach, FL; and by her granddaughter, Sarah, and seven grandsons, Matthew, Bradley, Gregory, Robert, Zachary, Nicolas, and Ezekiel. Janet was surrounded by many other people who always called her "mom," or "grandma," and truly meant it. Those wonderful titles were not so much based on age as on who and what she was. Janet was born in Windsor, CT. She received her bachelor's degree from the State University of New York in Binghamton. She had been a resident of Lansing for 22 years, and also of Colorado Springs for the last five years. Janet was a homemaker and, in recent years, a financial planner. At the time of her death she served as an elder of The City of Jesus church and earlier as an elder of New Life Church, both of Colorado Springs. Janet loved ministry to couples and to women, an activity she enthusiastically pursued for at least the past 15 years. Both men and women would freely and openly confide their deepest secrets to Janet-often things even their spouses and closest friends did not know. This was an amazing thing to observe. Even during her 13-month struggle with cancer, when she was mostly confined to bed at home, with interludes in the hospital, God would send people to her door or to the hospital room for ministry. Perhaps her favorite form of ministry was as an altar minister at New Life Church, where primarily people in their 20's, 30's, and 40's deliberately sought her out. She also served in a deliverance ministry for the past four years. From time to time in recent months Janet would speak about her future, and whether God would heal her or take her home. She always ended these conversations with a cheerful, "Either way, I win." Janet did win-big time. Those left behind are disappointed and sad, but nevertheless, we rejoice that she won. Memorial contributions in lieu of flowers may be made to the Lansing Kansas Scholarship Fund Incorporated, 1128 E. Kansas, Lansing, KS 66043
Published by The Gazette on Nov. 12, 2009.