Janet Behlke

JANET L. (WAITE) BEHLKE

Iowa City

Janet L. (Waite) Behlke, 59, died peacefully at home Wednesday, June 8, 2016, after a yearlong struggle with pancreatic cancer. A Celebration of Life for family and friends will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, June 19,

at Lensing's Oak Hill, 210 Holiday Rd., Coralville. An informal time for all who wish to share their memories of Janet with the group will be held at 4 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Iowa City Hospice; www.iowacityhospice.org.

Janet was born Aug. 7, 1956, in Iowa City, the daughter of Jack and Jeanne (Azbill) Waite. Janet was a 1974 graduate of West High School where she played basketball and ran track. Janet worked for many years as a bookkeeper for Hy-Vee in Iowa City and Omaha and later as invoicing manager for Integrated DNA Technologies in Coralville, where she met her husband-to-be, Mark Behlke.

Mark and Janet were married on Valentine's Day 2003. They shared a love of fine art, cars and tennis. Janet loved nothing more on a sunny summer day than driving their convertible! Most importantly, she loved her family and friends.

The family would like to extend their appreciation for the wonderful care and compassion provided by UIHC, her physicians, Dr. Dan Berg and Dr. Tim Thomsen, and Iowa City Hospice.

Janet is survived by her husband, Mark; her children, Allyson Nusser of Miami, Fla., and Adam "AJ" Nusser of North Liberty; her stepdaughter, Lauren M. Behlke of Boston; her mother, E. Jeanne Waite of Coralville; her four siblings, Sandi Waite (Keith Riden) of Ankeny, John D. Waite III of Overland Park, Kan., Steve Waite (Karen) of Des Moines and Jim Waite (Tami Sasek) of Lenexa, Kan.; loving nieces and nephews; and her former spouse, Jeffery Nusser.

Janet was preceded in death by her father; her husband, Kent Dwayne Pickens; infant sister, Susan; and Mark and Janet's beloved Golden Retriever, Midas.

Online condolences may be sent to www.lensingfuneral.com.