Janet Pellmann

Stoughton – Janet “Jan” Vaage Pellmann, age 80, passed away September 3, 2023, peacefully in her sleep. She was born in Freeport, Illinois, on July 18, 1943, to Roy and Helen Bechtold. Jan grew up in Dixon, Illinois, and graduated 4^th in her high school class. Growing up, they spent weekends and summers at their Lake Kegonsa cabin. She met her first husband, Leon Vaage, on Lake Kegonsa, and they raised their three children there in the old stone house. Later, Jan attended and graduated from MATC with an accounting and computer science degree, and then proudly worked 25 years for Power Systems Engineering for dear friends, Merle and Anita Lebakken.

Jan was an excellent seamstress, making her children some of the best-dressed in school, and later making beautiful quilts for all she loved. She was active in church, including many years in the singing and bell choirs. She loved being active: camping, hiking, biking and XC/snow skiing. When the grandkids came, they loved to go camping with Grandma Jan, or head out west with her to ski!

Jan was twice widowed, and both those losses took a toll on her. Her husband, Gary Pellmann, passed away suddenly in 2001. They enjoyed the outdoors together, taking trips to Alaska and the mountains across the US. Gary “Poppa” and Grandma Jan had the best visiting place for the grandkids, with Halloween shenanigans and rides on the tractor. They took grandkids on some major adventures from Disney World to British Columbia.

Her husband, Curt Pellmann, also passed away suddenly in 2013. One of her favorite stories to tell was how she married brothers – and indeed they were. A year after Gary died, Jan danced with Curt at a family wedding… and before long, they were married. They lived on Curt’s picturesque farm in the bluffs south of Devil’s Lake.

Jan is survived by her siblings, Bonnie Donovan, and Ron (Nora) Bechtold; children, Marcie (Jon) Mahuta, Martin (Karen) Vaage, and Marc Vaage (Marcia Tarrant); grandchildren, Jacque (Nick) Klimek, Samantha Sawle, Austin Vaage, Sophia and Samantha Gehling; and great-grandchildren, Harlyn, Callyn, and Breckyn Klimek.

Jan loved her dogs so much that her story wouldn’t be complete without mentioning Rusty, Butchie, Pepper, Bow-wow, Molly, Yogi, Suzi, Shelby, Sheldon, and Milo, who I’m sure are all lined up waiting to greet her.

A memorial service will be held 11:00 AM on Friday September 22, 2023 at COVENANT LUTHERAN CHURCH, 1525 N. Van Buren St, Stoughton, with Rev. Wendy Moen presiding.

Our gratitude to the loving staff of Kettle Park MC who took wonderful care of her.

Contributions in Jan’s honor may be made to Covenant Lutheran Church Bell Choir, the Humane Society, or the MSA (Multiple System Atrophy) Coalition.

Cress Funeral & Cremation Service

206 W. Prospect, P.O. Box 231, Stoughton

(608) 873-9244