- Date Of Death: December 6, 2016
- State: New Mexico
Janet Ruth Stewart, age 61, a loving wife, mother, and sister passed away peacefully December 6, 2016. Janet was beloved for her dedication to her husband, sons and siblings as well as her work in improving early childhood education in New Mexico. She is survived by Paul, her husband of 35 years, and her sons Benjamin and Jonathan. She is also survived by her four siblings- Anne, Sharon, Susan and Dan, and a gaggle of nieces and nephews.
Janet was born in Muncie, Indiana. She grew up on a family farm that hugged the wooded banks of the White River, where she and her siblings turned hay bales into elephants, tree stumps into a lemonade stands, and fallen logs into pirate ships. She graduated from Yorktown High School in 1973 and from Purdue University in 1983, where she and her husband met and started their life long love affair of each other, and of geology and agronomy.
They moved to Albuquerque in 1985. They spent their first years hiking and camping across the state, and she fell in love with the big sky and beautiful mountains of the Land of Enchantment. After her sons were born, Janet discovered a love of teaching and began a new career as an educator. She devoted the last two decades of her life to creating education programs that would foster a love for nature and science in young children. She touched many lives through her work in her work in early childhood education with colleagues at the Albuquerque Preschool Cooperative, the Jewish Community Center Preschool, and the University of New Mexico Family Development Program. She leaves a legacy of advocacy for families with young children. The world is a richer place for having her in it.
