Click here to view the livestream of Janet's Memorial Service.

Janet Cynthia Brush Schauer passed away peacefully at age 79 on January 5, 2026, in Hettinger, ND.

Janet "Jan" was born to Howard Rector Brush and Adelaide May Jorgensen Brush on July 5, 1946, in St. Paul MN. She was raised alongside her beloved younger sister, Judith (Brush) Krupich, in various communities in Minnesota, South Dakota, Vancouver British Columbia, and Fargo ND, as her father worked for the Army Air Corps. As a child, Jan loved ballet, tap, and jazz dance, participating in many dance recitals, and competed in Speech & Debate in high school. Jan was always a focused, dedicated, and bright student, leading her to a lifetime of learning.

Janet received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of North Dakota, becoming a Registered Nurse in 1968. Roger and Janet met at a prayer meeting through their involvement in UND campus ministry. Married on August 29, 1968, Roger and Janet's 57-year marriage set the stage for a life in faith, health care, service & family. While Roger began his medical residency in Minneapolis, Janet completed a Master in Public Health degree and earned her license as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP), making her among the pioneers of PNP practice in North Dakota. Prior to her PNP practice in Hettinger, Janet and Roger trained and worked in Minneapolis and Detroit. Janet provided critical nursing care and public health services to rural communities through her work at West River Regional Medical Center and through her private business, Nurse Corps, which was among the first of its kind to provide in-home nursing services in rural North Dakota and eastern Montana. Janet served two terms on the ND State Board of Nursing, providing leadership to the field of nursing. Janet was honored—and her family was so proud—when ND Nurses Association awarded her the 1997 Community / Public Health Nurse of the Year.

While in Hettinger, Janet raised three active children and was a staple community volunteer who helped keep the wheels goin' round in town. Along with other dedicated and talented women, Janet helped ensure youth had access to scouting, Sunday school/confirmation, and other youth development opportunities.

In 1992, Janet and Roger both took teaching positions at UND and moved to Grand Forks ND. Janet loved being faculty at the School of Nursing and shaping the next generation of nurses. Janet's passion was teaching about social injustices, race, and class issues in health care & had a special calling to serve Native American communities. Soon after retiring as a PNP, Janet followed her calling to attend seminary at Luther Seminary and completed her Master of Divinity in 2016, with a focus in Bible Study Leadership. Janet served as a lay pastor in multiple small parishes around the Grand Forks area for a few years before fully retiring and allowing herself time to be present for the beginnings of the next generation of her 10 beloved grandchildren.

Janet & Roger eventually had some time to follow dreams of seeing the world & were able to travel internationally for mission work, professional work, and vacations.  During their Hettinger & Grand Forks years, they hosted many extended-stay international students & professionals who desired to learn about North Dakota. Janet's friends recall moments of ice tea & in-depth conversations with a friend who was well-read, a gifted critical thinker, and one whose life impacted the world. Janet's family will be forever impacted by her quiet grace, grit, and dedication to faith, family & community. Janet's powerful legacy will be forever felt through her personal relationships in nursing, social justice, youth development, and church communities.

Janet was preceded in death by her sister, Judy, and her parents. She is survived by her husband, Roger W. Schauer, and their three children and their families: Christopher (Ronda) Schauer; Kimberly (Dustin) Rossow; Jonathan (Jennifer) Schauer; and 10 grandchildren. Additionally, she is survived by many beloved siblings-in-law and nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at Hettinger Lutheran Church on February 7,2026, at 11:00 a.m. The service will be livestreamed, with a link shared when available.