Obituary of Janet M. Van Allen

Janet Van Allen, 82, of Iowa City, died suddenly on Monday, September 17, 2007, at The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. Funeral services will be held at 3 pm Saturday, September 22, 2007, at Trinity Episcopal Church in Iowa City. Family graveside services will be held at a later date at Memory Gardens Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 6 pm Friday at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service in Iowa City. Janet Marjorie (Wessman) Hunt, born August 29, 1925, in Bethlehem, PA, was raised and adored by Frederick and Evalyn (Leidy) Hunt, following the death of her father Edwin Wessman and illness of her mother Hazele (Breisch) Wessman. Her family moved to Davenport, Iowa in the 1930's. Following graduation from the Villa de Chantal, Rock Island, Illinois, she attended Marycrest College in Davenport. She aided the WWII effort through her work at the Rock Island Arsenal. On August 20, 1949, she married Dr. Maurice W. Van Allen in Davenport, who later chaired the Department of Neurology in the College of Medicine at The University of Iowa. Janet served for many years as an editorial assistant to The Archives of Neurology. Janet was extremely active with a wide range of friends and interests. She was the first woman to serve on the Trinity Episcopal Church vestry. She was a member of PEO Chapter HI, Hancher Guild, The University of Iowa Presidents Club, and volunteered for the Cancer Society and UNICEF. She took great pride in the countless social events she hosted, especially those related to the Department of Neurology. For more than fifty years, Janet was part of the “Potluck Group”, a close knit group of loving friends, and more recently the “Birthday Club”. She cherished these friendships. She was known for her tenderness and generosity to everyone, always putting others before herself. Her family includes her children, David Van Allen of Cedar Rapids, Marti Horan and her husband, Howard of Iowa City, Evalyn Van Allen-Shalash of Iowa City, and Jonathan Van Allen of Cedar Falls; grandchildren, John Horan, Dina Shalash and Sarah Shalash; one great-grandson, Nicholas Van Allen Horan; sisters-in-law Abigail Van Allen, Dorothy Van Allen, Clarissa Hunt, Joyce Carpenter and Marie Wessman, and many beloved nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her adoptive parents, husband, son-in-law, Ali Shalash; brothers, Frederick B. Hunt Jr., Stanley Wessman, and Donald Carpenter; brothers-in-law, George Van Allen, James Van Allen, and William Van Allen. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in her memory to the Maurice W. Van Allen Educational and Research Fund, c/o The University of Iowa Foundation, or to the Visiting Nurses Association of Johnson County. Online condolences may be sent to her family through the web @ www.gayandciha.com. Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service is caring for Janet’s family and her services.