Obituary of Janet McNeill Bywater

Janet McNeill Bywater, age 93 of 500 Linder Road, NE, Iowa City , died Monday, January 23, 2006, at the Oaknoll Retirement Residence following a brief illness. Family graveside services will be held at Oakland Cemetery. Memorial services will be held at 1:30 p.m., Wednesday at the First United Methodist Church in Iowa City with the Reverends C. Dendy Garrett and Courtney Ball officiating. (Please note Sunday Parking Ordinance will be in effect for the streets near the church, everyone is welcome to park near the church). Janet McNeill Bywater was born September 29, 1912, in Monticello, Iowa the daughter of Albert Joseph Hawthorne McNeill and Harriet Smith McNeill. She attended and graduated from Monticello Schools, attended Stephens College and she received her BA from the University of Iowa in 1935. On September 5, 1936 she married Raymond Leroy Bywater in Monticello. The couple had been residents of Iowa City since their marriage. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church, PEO KZ Chapter, Hoover Library Association, Colonial Dames of America, Dancing Club, Pi Beta Phi, I.C.T., the President’s Club of the University of Iowa Foundation, and the Old Capitol Club of the University of Iowa Alumni Association. In 1992, Janet and her late husband, Raymond received the Distinguished Alumni Service Award from the University of Iowa. Her family includes Willis McNeill Bywater and his wife, Linda Bywater of Iowa City; Mary Bywater Cross and her husband, Robert Newman of Portland, OR; and Nancy Bywater Dornfeld and her husband, Eric Dornfeld of Lakewood, CO. Her grandchildren, Brad and Ann Bywater Parker, David and Angela Bywater, Mark and Lynn Dornfeld Salisbury, Steven and Laura Cross, Carol Cross and Edgar Johnson, John and Susan Bywater Noble, Douglas Bywater, and Justin and Robin Dornfeld Lindsey; and nine great-grandchildren. Janet was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond (1991) and her granddaughter, Emily Jane Dornfeld (1976). In lieu of flowers memorial donations can be made in Janet’s memory to either Community Foundation of Johnson County or the Old Capitol Endowment Fund c/o University of Iowa Foundation. Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service of Iowa City is caring for Janet’s family and her services.