Janet Gurney
June 04, 1955 - February 04, 2023
Obituary
Janet was called home by our Lord and Savior on February 4, 2023. She was born on June 4, 1955 to Paul T. Hafner and Phyllis (Fitzpatrick) Hafner along with siblings Gregg, Julie, David, and Joan. At the age of nine, Janet's mother, Phyllis, became ill and died suddenly. Janet was given the responsibility of caring for the three younger children, an overwhelming job for a nine year old, until Paul's marriage to Sylvia Kober in 1966. Sylvia adopted all five children. Sylvia and Janet shared a special relationship until Sylvia's death in July 2022. Sylvia was her “Rock.”
The family was raised in the Rose Park area and Janet graduated from West High School in 1973. She went on to earn a bachelor's degree in Nursing from Montana State University. Her first job was as a nurse at St. Vincent's Hospital in Billings, Montana, where she spent most of her career spanning 43 years. Janet attended Trinity Lutheran Church most of her life where she was baptized and confirmed. She was a familiar sight on Sunday mornings with granddaughter Astraea accompanying her.
The young nurse met her husband Ralph in 1980 and they married March 14, 1981. The couple had two boys, Eric and Daniel, and raised them in the Billings Heights Area until moving to the West End where Ralph still resides today. In September of 2016, granddaughter Astraea was born to son Daniel. She was the apple of grandma's eye, evident by grandma embarking on one of the greatest online shopping sprees ever. In 2019 granddaughter Avery was born to son Daniel, and Janet was given two little girls to love on, a welcome change from raising two little boys.
Janet is preceded in death by her mother Phyllis; her father Paul; stepmother Sylvia; and sister Julie. She is survived by older brother Gregg and wife Marsha; brother David and wife Kim; sister Joan; son Eric and his wife Liz; Daniel and his fiancé April; and husband of 42 years, Ralph.
As we mourn her passing today, we remember a nurse dedicated to patient care who touched hundreds if not thousands of lives; a good friend; a loving and devoted mother, grandmother and wife. She passed away peacefully in her home surrounded by her loved ones who cared and loved on her in the final days.