Janet Esther Gurtner, age 78, of Colby passed peacefully into eternal life on June 28, 2024 at the Colonial Center in Colby under the tender care of St. Croix Hospice Services.

A Memorial Service will be held a 11:00 a.m. on Monday, July 8, 2024 at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Unity. The Rev. Teri Hanson will officiate. Family and friends are welcome from 9:00 a.m. until time of service on Monday at the church. The Maurina-Schilling Funeral Home in Abbotsford is entrusted with the arrangements.

Janet was born to the late Edward and Norma (Schultz) Riebe on August 12, 1945 in Port Washington, WI and spent her childhood in Cedarburg, WI. She graduated from Cedarburg High School in 1963. On May 20, 1967 she married Raymond Gurtner at the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Cedarburg, then in 1970 they moved to Unity, where they opened Ray’s Market.

Janet was hardworking and always had a smile on her face. She started in the meat department at the Red Owl in Cedarburg where she met her husband, Ray. Together they started a legacy when the opened Ray’s Market as a meat market and grocery store in Unity. She owned and operated Ray’s Market for 38 years. Janet also worked as a meat manager of Hedler’s grocery store in Colby for four years. She will be remembered for her kindness to the many customers she has served over the years.

She enjoyed many years of fishing and boating with family and friends at their cottage on Lake Holcombe. Together with her husband, she also enjoyed traveling to Florida each spring in their motorhome, where sight-seeing and dining out. In her later years, she enjoyed taking bus trips around the country with her sister, Shirley, and various friends. She also enjoyed spending time with her family and grandchildren. Janet sang in the choir, played handbells and served several terms on the church council at Trinity Lutheran Church in Unity.

Survivers include her son, Alan (Connie) Gurtner of Colby, step daughters Susan (Brian) Becker of Slinger, Barbara Swanson of West Bend, Jayne (Richard) Hughes of Kewaskum; Grandchildren: Hannah (Joshua) Rahm, Emily (Jared Goodwin) Gurtner, Stephanie (Pete) Poree, Brian (Sarah) Becker, Misti (Nick) Swanson, Katie Swanson, Sarah (Marcus) Kleinhans, Erika (Peter) Herriges, Lauren (Ray) Wollner, Parker Hughes, Gracie Hughes; Nephew: Mark Burmeister, Pewaukee

Janet is proceeded in death by her husband Raymond, her parents Edward and Norma Riebe, her infant sister Audrey, her brother-in-law and sister Ken and Shirley Burmeister and her step son-in-law Bob Swanson.

The family would like to thank the nurses and physicians at the Marshfield Medical Center, Colby Colonial Center, and St Croix Hospice for the wonderfull care they provided. In lieu of flowers, Memorials will be designed to Central Fire and EMS.