Janet Riemersma ’62 Woods

Daughter (Clifford and Helen Riemersma), midwestern girl (Alma, Michigan), sister, wife, teacher (DPS-George Washington H.S. English), loyal friend. In the early 1960’s she went west to take a teaching job in Denver, Colorado. The Centennial State became her forever home.

Small in stature. Huge in intellect and memory. Janet favored hummingbirds and fine simple clothes, those with curious minds, artisans, and wits, Mannheim Steamroller, John Denver, and, The Beatles, Casablanca and Gross Pointe Blank. Found absurdity in senior center limiting patrons to PG films. Could recall amazing details of history and geography from regions she traveled to decades before. Corrected her loved ones’ grammar with exasperation and determination.

She fiercely loved a US Marine, physics teacher, outdoorsman, Harold Woods. They lived well, taught youth, traveled far (canoeing on the Green and Yampa Rivers, Ecuador, Copper Canyon, France, China…) and complemented each other for 48 years.

Janet believed in autonomy and self-determination. Independent and capable to her core. The morning of July 16, 2022, she heard the owl call her name. Nothing gold can stay. She is survived by her brothers James ’65 and Jeff  ’76 Riemersma, other family members, and dear friends.