Janet Joann Scurr

SCURR, RANKIN

Posted By: Dorra L Bost (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 16:08:44

Published in Des Moines Register on Mar. 27, 2019

Gilman - Janet Scurr, age 83 of Gilman, died on Thursday, March 14, 2019 at Mercy Medical Center - West Lakes in West Des Moines, Iowa with her family by her side.

A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, March 18th at the Grinnell Christian Church with Rev. Christine Tinker, Mayflower Community Spiritual Care Coordinator, officiating. A luncheon will follow the service at the church. A private family burial will follow at Prairie View Cemetery in Gilman.

Visitation will begin at 12 noon on Sunday at the SmithFuneral Home in Grinnell and her family will receive friends from 2:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m.

Memorials may be designated to the Janet Scurr Memorial Fund to create a scholarship fund at East Marshall High School and to benefit local at-risk programs. Memories and condolences may be shared with her family online at www.smithfh.com.

Janet Joann Rankin was born the daughter of Gerald Lee Rankin and Cleora Pauline (Wells) Rankin on December 2, 1935 in Newton, Iowa. She was raised near Newton and Gilman, Iowa respectively and graduated from Gilman High School with the class of 1954. She attended Iowa State University in Ames and graduated in 1958 with a degree in Home Economics and a minor in science.

Janet was united in marriage to Harry Scurr on July 20, 1958 at the Gilman Community Church. The couple was blessed with a daughter, Kathleen, and two sons, Joseph and Steven. They made their home on the family farm east of Gilman, where they resided for 61 years. Janet was an educator for 37 years, teaching Home Economics at Le Grand High School and later Gilman High School, which came to be known as SEMCO and eventually East Marshall High School. She loved her years helping as the junior prom sponsor, at-risk coordinator and taught nutrition as an adjunct professor at Marshalltown Community College. She thoroughly enjoyed getting to know her students. In addition, she was a member of the Gilman Community Church, and an active leader of Marshalltown Hospital Auxiliary, Eastern Star, Marshall County Drug Court, and YSS (Youth Shelter Service.)

Janet's family was always first and foremost. She cherished the times the family would be together on Sundays and especially the holidays; her favorite being Christmas. She dedicated much of her life to helping her students and youth learn the values of life and to help guide them on the right path. She had an amazing way of making those around her feel comforted, loved, and important with little effort; her intent was pure and genuine. Janet will be remembered as a longtime educator who had a positive impact on countless students, for her kind, selfless and compassionate way, for the love of her family, and for being a beautiful person, both inside and out.

Janet is survived by her husband of 61 years, Harry Scurr of Gilman; daughter, Kathy Ferguson of Gilman; sons, Joe (Sandy) Scurr of Gilman and Steve (Sheila) Scurr of Beaman, Iowa; grandchildren, Ashley (Ryan) McCarty, Grant Ferguson, Blake (Erinn) Scurr, Clayton Scurr, Callen Scurr, Kendall Scurr, Parker Scurr, and Joey Scurr; great grandsons, Maddox and Paxton McCarty; brother, Denny (Carla) Rankin of Lineville, Iowa; and sister, Debbie Smith of Grinnell.

She was preceded in death by her parents; sisters, Joyce Wisgerhof and Beverly Rankin; niece, Sara (Rankin) Walkup; and brother-in-law, Jerry Wisgerhof.