Janis A. LaForest

Janis Ann Groeteke-La Forest, 70, died the morning of 2nd March 2024 after a 6-year battle with cancer. Jan was born on 21st May 1953, to Warren and Dorothy (Lehmann) Groeteke in St. Louis, Missouri. Jan is survived by her former husband, Dennis La Forest, and their children, Erin La Forest (Richard Foster) and Paul (Jennifer) La Forest, her Mother Dorothy, younger twin brother John (Star) Groeteke, and younger brother Charles (Sharon) Groeteke. Jan was an energetic, creative, hands-on DIY person, always busy with some project, or improvement, be it quilting, woodworking, stained glass, or home restoration. Her motto being 'if you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything', and there isn't much she didn't do. In her early life Jan was an avid musician, she played both the piano and violin and cherished her memories of playing in a local band while living in Readsville, Missouri. Later Jan became a business owner, having trained as a sign painter when such was still a brush-in-hand trade. She adapted with the industry to computer cut vinyl but said it took the art, and heart, out of it. Jan was very active in various causes and organizations throughout her life. Serving as a Pachyderm, member of the Lions Club, President of AAL, and several Church boards. As a Girl Scout Leader she touched many young lives by teaching them useful life skills as well as basic primitive survival skills. In more recent years she became the proprietor of The Gallant Lady Sign Works & Antiques, where she also taught stained glass, sewing and quilting classes. Always with animals around, a pig farmer in early years, and rarely in life without chickens and geese, later adding beekeeper to her endeavors. She was a champion of history, her community, and property rights. Jan was preceded in death by her father Warren (June 1913 - June 2008) Visitation will be on Friday, March 8th, 2024, from 4:00pm - 8:00pm at Jay B. Smith Funeral Home, 777 Oakwood Dr., Fenton, MO. Funeral services: Saturday, March 9th, 2024, 10:00am at Jay B. Smith Funeral Home, Fenton, MO with Jason Wagner of Hope Lutheran Church of High Ridge, Missouri officiating. Interment will follow services at Zion Lutheran Church Cemetery, St. Charles, Missouri. Jan always insisted that she did not want flowers or plants at her funeral. But if you are compelled; her charities are the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Janis A. LaForest

May 21, 1953 - March 2, 2024