Janet Anne Woodward Halderman Phelps, age 78, of Colby, Kansas, departed from this life at the Citizens Medical Center on June 14, 2012.

Janet was born on June 11, 1934 to H.E. and Marion J. (Watson) Woodward in Boulder, Colorado. She was the second daughter. Carol Joan was born on June 2, 1932 and younger sister, Sue Elaine was born on March, 2, 1937. She grew up in Greeley, Colorado, and graduated from Greeley High School in 1952. She had many classmates write in her annual how much they appreciated her helping them with their homework. There were several classmates who kept in close contact and she was looking forward to seeing them at their 60th class reunion being held this coming August. After graduation she moved to Boulder, Colorado, to live with her grandparents while working as a bank teller. She would walk down to the house on the corner where she would ride the bus with a lady who would eventually introduce Janet to her son, George R. Halderman. This handsome young man was a farmer from Niwot, Colorado. They were married on Easter Sunday April 18, 1954 so George always thought that Easter Sunday was their anniversary. While living in Niwot they began their family, Nathan, Gwen and Marcia were born in Longmont, Colorado. In December 1958 they moved to Lycan, Colorado, to be dryland farmers instead of ditch irrigators. Added to the family was their son Marc who was born in Syracuse, Kansas. Janet was a city girl turned into a country girl, with a motto, "fix it with grey tape or baling wire". Her neighbors made adjusting to the country life easier by having weekly card games and ping pong matches or just a cup of coffee. While raising her children, she was involved in their activities. She enjoyed taking her turn to drive the neighborhood boys to play baseball, sponsoring teen dances and watching sports events. She was an honorary member of the Buffalo Community Club where she was the secretary for a number of years. Singing with the Sweet Adeline's and for church activities, sitting on election boards and working part time bookkeeping jobs were tasks she greatly enjoyed along with the daily farm activities.

They retired in 1978 after their children had graduated from high school and been farming together for 24 years. They spent some time traveling until they settled in Stratton, Colorado, working for the Stratton Equity Cooperative, eventually transferring to Kirk, Colorado, where she retired after 15 years. During her time in the Stratton and Kirk communities she started taking college classes, became an EMT and served on the library board. Education was important to her so she was always willing to tutor who ever needed help.

After her husband, George, passed away unexpectedly in 1991, she and her friends started attending singles dances throughout eastern Colorado and western Kansas. It was through dancing that she met her husband, Maurice Phelps of Colby, Kansas, which eventually led on to an August 2, 1997, wedding. Northwest Kansas Fire Extinguisher business, U-Pac Storage, traveling, dancing, swimming, volunteering and grandchildren encompassed the 15 years she shared with Maurice. They made trips to Alaska, Mexico, Canada and many areas in the US, also attending the college travels trips was a highlight they both enjoyed. The biggest highlight of all was when her son, Marc, SWA pilot, flew them to Chicago on the way to Birmingham and when announced she and Maurice were on board another passenger said, "Well if the mom will fly with the pilot then we are in good hands."

While living in Colby she earned her associates degree from Colby Community College, and had the privilege of graduating with her daughter, Gwen. As she has done throughout her life, mentoring and tutoring was a big part of her college experience. She was very active with a volunteering organization called RSVP, election board and bookkeeper for the Colby Senior Center. She enjoyed all types of music and arts so the Western Plains Arts Association and Pickin' on the Plains were very special organizations to Janet and Maurice, which they contributed to and faithfully attended.

Janet had numerous special interests. She really enjoyed cutting out pictures of flowers to include with her many letters that she was always writing to her friends and family. She loved getting mail, not e-mails or text messages, just good ole hand-written letters. Her highlight of the day was to go get the mail, especially when she would receive a package of new clothes from Cindy, her daughter-in-law. Santa Clauses became a collecting passion in her later years, collecting over 600, with help from Maurice and her many friends. She and her three special friends spent Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings rummaging for treasures at garage sales, plus many Friday afternoon card games. Crocheting booties for new born babies also filled many hours with pleasure. She left an everlasting impression in every community that she lived in, as it was obvious by the phone calls, cards, letters and visits throughout the years from all of them.

In 2007 she was diagnosed with breast cancer and has battled it for the last 5 years, finally succumbing to it. With Maurice right beside her along with daughter, Marcia, she made many trips to Hays for treatments. She fought the fight with determination and as all her friends would say, "she kept her spunk".

She loved her family and her extended family she gained when marrying Maurice. Her delight was getting together with family and friends, no matter if they were new or old friends, she enjoyed all of you. The sparkle in her eye and smile on her face could attest to that.

Janet is survived by her husband, Maurice, son, Nathan and Jan Halderman of Mollala, Oregon, daughter, Gwen and Curtis Miller of Walsh, Colorado, daughter, Marcia and Jay Giessel of Larned, Kansas and son, Marc and Cindy Halderman of Pierre, South Dakota, eleven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Janet was preceded in death by her first husband, George R. Halderman, parents, H.E. and Marion J. Woodward and older sister, Carol J. Lund.