Janet F. Gabrielse's Obituary
Janet Florence (Schutt) Gabrielse went to be with her Lord and Savior on June 11, 2018. She was born in Worth, Illinois, in September, 1944, to the late Herman Schutt and Martha (Ridderhof) Schutt. Her parents instilled in Janet and her siblings’ hearts for ministry and missions, by ministering as a family in depressed areas of Southside Chicago. Janet attended Trinity Christian College and went on to graduate from Calvin College with a bachelor’s degree in education. While at Calvin, she met and married her loving husband of 52 years, Leonard Gabrielse.
After graduating from college, Janet taught for two years before she and Len moved to Mkar, Nigeria, with Christian Reformed World Missions. For the next eight years, Janet lived as a missionary in Nigeria. She taught Bible and English to the hospital’s nursing and laboratory students, taught at Mkar Teachers’ College, had two children, organized preschool education with other missionary mothers, improved conditions at the local orphanage, and welcomed travelers and new missionaries.
After leaving Nigeria, Jan & Len lived in Illinois for two years where their two youngest children were born. In 1978, the cold, northern winters drove the family to Bradenton, Florida.
Jan became an active member of Bradenton Christian Reformed Church; singing in the choir, leading Children’s Worship, and organizing Vacation Bible Schools. She also was a Coffee Break leader and ladies’ Bible study leader. In addition to her roles at the church, Jan served on the BCS admissions committee and on the school board for several years.
An empty nest prompted Jan to return to school. She earned a master’s degree in special education and eventually became head of the Special Education program at Bradenton Christian School. She served at BCS for 17 years, retiring in 2012.
Jan enjoyed being surrounded by her family, traveling, camping, gardening, raising butterflies, and keeping up with world events and political news, but her true passion in life was to glorify her Lord and Savior through loving, educating, mentoring, and humbly serving others and their children.
Janet is survived by her husband, Leonard; her children, Stephen and Rachel (Meiste) Gabrielse, Margeri (Gabrielse) and Greg Talbot, Julie (Gabrielse) and Jon Hollaar, Michelle Gabrielse; and 8 grandchildren, Jordan Patterson, Jacob Patterson, Kyle Rice, Cameron Talbot, Jaxson Talbot, Grace Hollaar, Alena Hollaar, and Bethany Hollaar; her brother Herman and Gayle Schutt, and Raymond and Beverly Leerar. Janet is preceded in death by her parents, her sister Marlene, and her brother Richard.
A memorial service will be held at 7:00 PM, Friday, June 15, 2018, at Bradenton Christian Reformed Church located at 4208 26th St W, Bradenton, FL 34205 (941-753-6465 / BradentonCRC.org). There will be a second memorial service at 11:00 AM on June 23, 2018, at Munster Christian Reformed Church, 214 Ridge Road, Munster, IN, 46321 (219-836-1400 / munsterchurch.org).
Memorial donations can be sent to Bradenton Christian School.
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