Janet Elizabeth (Lefere) Kalahar

Kalahar, (Lefere) Janet Elizabeth

Of Jackson passed away Oct. 15, 2026, at the age of 86. Janet was born July 21, 1940 in Jackson to Maurice and Elizabeth (Crowley) Lefere. She graduated in 1958 from Jackson St. John High School, where she was named “J Girl” for being deemed “tops” in her senior class. In 1961, she graduated from St. Joseph Mercy School of Nursing, launching her on a career as a registered nurse who aided innumerable patients and their families.

Janet specialized in IV therapy and was known by her patients not only for her outstanding care but for her concern for their overall wellbeing. She was especially acclaimed for her compassion for the dying and their families, helping guide many through the most difficult times. In her career of more than 50 years, she was a nurse at Mercy Hospital, Brown’s Option Care, the PIIC Center, the Center for Family Health, Allegiance Home Care, Great Lakes Caring and successfully ventured out on her own with JK Consulting. And then there were the countless hours of “off duty” time helping friends and family with medical needs and questions. In 2011, she was named by Jackson Magazine a “Health Care Angel,” a more fitting title there never was.

Volunteer service was an important part of Jan’s life. Her volunteer activities are too numerous to list, but included the Hospice House, Queens Church Women’s Guild (president), St. Vincent dePaul, Habitat for Humanity, spearheading a mission effort at an orphanage in Peru, and helping coach the Special Olympics golf team.

Introduced to golf as a youngster, she developed a lifelong love of the game. Her achievements on the course, including four Jackson County Women’s Golf Association tournament titles, and her leadership in the JCWGA and the Turf Diggers league earned her induction into the Jackson Golf Hall of Fame in 1991. She took immense joy in introducing others to the game, including her children and grandchildren, and providing helpful instruction to those seeking her expertise.

She treasured family gatherings with both the Kalahar and Lefere families, annual vacations to the Windemere Lodge at Houghton Lake, golf trips to Gull Lake, and watching her children and grandchildren in their school and athletic activities in Jackson, Bellaire and Grand Rapids.

She is survived by children Gary (Becky) Kalahar, Karen (Jeff) Lampman, Beth (Dave) Russell, Pat (Lisa) Kalahar, Andy (Wendy) Kalahar and Mick (Hillary) Kalahar. She is also survived by 18 grandchildren: Emily (Nick) Drumm, Erin (Jon) Lucken, Adam Kalahar, Ali (Kevin) Schrock, Lindsay Lampman, Mitch Lampman, Travis Russell (fiancé Kendall Braate), Haley Russell, Shannon Russell, Raegan Kurlenda (fiancé David Fox), Karlie Kurlenda, Brady Kurlenda, Cody Kalahar, Mark Kalahar, Courtney Kalahar, Kash Kalahar, Claire Kalahar and Kiley Kalahar; four great-grandchildren: Lainey Drumm, Lincoln Drumm, Kade Schrock and Luke Lucken; along with brothers Jim Lefere and Jerry Lefere and sisters Mary Jo (Jerry) Kelly, Anne (Bill) Best and Cathy (Jerry) Sykes, in-laws Ruth Westhoff and Jim Kalahar, and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded by her husband Richard and brother Maurie Lefere.

Janet was a devout Catholic and lifelong member of Queen of the Miraculous Medal Parish, where the Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 19. The family will receive friends 4-8 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 18 at Desnoyer Funeral Home, with a rosary at 7:30 p.m., and one hour prior to the mass at Queens Church. Private Interment will take place at St. John Cemetery in Jackson.

For those wishing to make memorial donations, the family appreciates contributions to the Queens Conference of the St. Vincent dePaul Society, Queens School Endowment Fund, or Catholic Charities of Jackson, Lenawee and Hillsdale Counties.