Obituaries

Janice “Jan” Kay Busse, age 86, passed away on Monday, June 24, 2024, at University Wisconsin Hospital after a courageous, but very short battle with cancer. She was born on December 26, 1937, to Paul and Clara (Segessenman) Stucki in Madison, WI.

As the story goes, Jan met Ed at a dance hall and wrote her phone number down on a napkin with red lipstick. They married in 1959 and spent the next 65 years together creating a beautiful family and the perfect home. She had so much pride in the life she and Ed built in the Lake Windsor, Community.

If you knew Jan, you knew everything always had to be flawless. She took pride in her house being clean and tidy and her gardens watered and mulched. Out of affection for her home and garden grew her interests and passion for creations of arts and crafts, home décor and a beautiful garden that brought her pride and healing. Jan’s interests took her on many travels and led her to develop a variety of businesses where she was in her element talking with her customers and hobbyists.

An accomplished gardener and member of Lake Windsor Garden Club, Jan created an astonishing landscape at her home, proudly sharing it for all to see. Rock gardens, flower gardens, and riverbeds wound seamlessly throughout the property creating a tranquil terrain that was only outdone by her own beauty.

The consummate caregiver, she was always at the ready, and would drop everything at the ring of the phone. Whether it was a sister asking for help, a friend in need of a chat, a son needing to vent, a dog to be cared for, or a grandkid asking to go to lunch – she was always there.

Jan adored her grandkids. She was so incredibly proud of their accomplishments and talked about them endlessly with anyone willing to listen. She learned all she could about swimming, baseball, cross country, taekwondo, golf and fishing – Jan would do anything to make them feel as special as they were to her.

As we can all relate, life is not always ideal nor flawless. Despite various challenges, Jan always carried herself with grace and dignity up to her death.

Death, whether expected or not, is a strange phenomenon. We know not how to act and are unsure how to carry on – but we will with the grace Jan showed us every day, because she would want it that way.

Jan is survived by her husband, Ed; son, Erik (Kjersten); two grandchildren, Paul and Sam; sisters, Jackie (Emil) Thomas, Sharon Siewert, Paulette (Steven) Falkenstein; and many special nieces and nephews who love her more than words can express.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Paul and Clara Stucki, and her son Jay.

A special thank you to the Hematology/Oncology and Hospitalist care teams at UW Hospital for their care of Jan, especially, Carli, Amelia, and Bre.

A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Friday, July 5, 2024, at Ryan Funeral Home, 6924 Lake Road, DeForest, WI. Visitation will be from 9:00 A.M. until the time of service at the Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Dane County Humane Society, 5132 Voges Road, Madison, WI 53718 or at giveshelter.org.

To view and sign this guestbook please visit www.ryanfuneralservice.com.

Ryan Funeral Home & Cremation Services

Windsor/DeForest Chapel

6924 Lake Road

608-846-4250