Janette Egan Sarbacker

PORTAGE  --  Janette Egan Sarbacker, age 88, of Portage, Wisconsin, died on February 11, 2016. Janette, daughter of John and Laverda Newkirk, wife of James Egan and Robert Sarbacker, passed away on February 11 at Columbia Healthcare Center in Wyocena. She is survived by her son, William (Maureen) Egan. She is also survived by three grandchildren; Liz (Kevin) Masterson, Keely (Mitch) Soetenga, and Hank (Katie) Egan, and six great grandchildren, all living in Portage and the Waunakee area. She is also survived by her brother, Robert Newkirk and her sister, Barbara Hunt.

Janette worked as an LPN at Divine Savior Hospital until she retired, but she continued to care about and for the people around her—a nurse to the end. Janette loved to crochet and cook, and did both until she couldn’t. Janette enjoyed music—Willie Nelson, Nat King Cole and Paul McCartney were three favorites, QVC, and would occasionally read a “good” book. Janette really liked Nora Ephron’s I Feel Bad About My Neck. One of her favorite passages from that book: “…the amount of maintenance involving hair is genuinely overwhelming. Sometimes I think that not having to worry about your hair anymore is the secret upside of death.” Janette will be missed by her family and friends.

The family will always be grateful and wishes to extend a special thank you to her in-home caregivers: Dorothy Cragin, Toni Ebert, Katie Brunslik, and Joan Barrick. She loved you all. The family also thanks the staff at Columbia Healthcare Center for their attentive care.

Services have been arranged by Pflanz Mantey Mendrala Funeral Home and Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Portage on Friday, February 19, at 11:00 a.m. Visitation will be held at the church from 10:00 a.m. until the time of Mass.