Janet Mae Ruhsam

Janet Mae Ruhsam, 87, of Muskego, WI, passed away peacefully the evening of February 23, 2025. 

She was born on July 13, 1937 in New London, WI to Milton and Ruby Ruhsam.

Janet spent her childhood on a dairy farm in New London, WI. In addition to living at the farm, summers always included helping with haying, often with Janet driving the tractor. The farmhouse was an active residence that not only included Janet, her parents, and her brother, but also her grandmother Henrietta Ruhsam, an aunt Florence Ruhsam, and a cousin David Ruhsam. She attended a one-room schoolhouse, the Triangle School, for most of her elementary education until the town consolidated elementary schools in New London. She graduated from New London High School and continued her education at the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point where she obtained a degree in Home Economics. From there Janet taught home economics at the high school level for 36 years, three years at Gillett High School, 4 years at Elkhorn High School and 29 years at Muskego High School! There are countless students who were blessed by her teaching.

Janet brought happiness and friendship into the lives of many. She enjoyed socializing with her countless friends and attended any activity that was offered and particularly enjoyed her church. Although scattered throughout the country, her extended family were a tremendous source of joy for Janet, and a visit with Janet was certain to include the sharing of pictures of her extended family, or she would excitedly provide an update as to when the next visit of a family member was to occur. One tradition that continued for almost 50 years, including this past year, was to have Thanksgiving with nearby family, which for all those years always included her cousin Dick Ruhsam and wife Kathy. If you were anyone even remotely connected to Janet, you got a turtle at Christmas time. A tradition started 35ish years ago with Jay Refling. Hundreds of turtles were produced and distributed. Out of state relatives didn’t consider the Christmas season to have begun until the great turtle migration.

She was a Packers fan, as well as a Brewers, Badgers and Bucks fan, basically anything Wisconsin. In the 1950s, there would always be at least one annual trip to Milwaukee with her cousin David Ruhsam(Gladys) and family, to a Milwaukee Braves game. Janet always wanted to sit in the right field stands to be near her favorite player, Henry Aaron. Janet kept her love for baseball by attending and watching numerous Brewer games over the years, as a die-hard Packer fan, she was dressed for any Packers game, always picked the Packers in the football pool, and you could tell the score of the game by the tone of her voice.

Janet was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease approximately a dozen years ago. While this put a damper on her ability to get around, she still managed to meet and make friends through the parkinson's exercise class and support group. Through it all, and this last year was not fun for her, she still retained her interest for the well-being of the staff who cared for her. Always the teacher!

Janet Ruhsam is survived by her brother Bill (Rozanne) Ruhsam, her nieces Cindy (John Ryan) Ruhsam, Becky (Mark) Chapman, and Sarah Ruhsam and her nephew Bill (Jen Bowie) Ruhsam. Grand nieces and nephews Ben Ryan, Tommy (Lydia) Chapman, Greg (Holly) Chapman, Elizabeth Chapman, Will Ryan, and Griffin Ruhsam. Further survived by Jay & Bonnie Refling who were family by heart. In addition, Janet was loved by and survived by several cousins and their families. And in what is telling of a life well lived, there were many, many additional friends, too numerous to name.

She was preceded in death by her parents Milton O. Ruhsam and Ruby Ruhsam (nee Hutchinson), as well as all her aunts and uncles, and numerous cousins, several who played a large role in Janet’s life.

A burial service will be held at Floral Hill Cemetery at 11:00 am on Friday, the 21st of March. 

A Celebration of Life will be held on 23 March, 2025 at 3 pm at Tudor Oaks, reception to follow.

The family would encourage you to wear any Packers or Brewers attire to the Celebration of Life.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Janet’s honor to the scholarship fund at Tudor Oaks. Janet was always so excited about the employees furthering their education.

https://abhm.networkforgood.com/projects/22173-memorial-and-tribute-gifts.

She will be greatly missed by her friends and family. Her Nieces would like to thank the Staff of Tudor Oaks and her many friends for their support.