Janet Sue Shaffner

MAKANDA - Janet Shaffner, age 75, was in a car accident in Pocahontas, Arkansas with her husband, Elden Shaffner, on April 12, 2022. Elden passed away at the scene while Janet was flown to Memphis Regional One Health Trauma Center in Memphis, Tennessee where she succumbed to her injuries.



Janet was born on June 19, 1946 in Carbondale, Illinois to John Chadwick and Ada Awanda (Allen) Chadwick. Janet married Elden Shaffner on June 12, 1971 in Makanda, Illinois at Oak Grove United Methodist Church.



Janet was a cosmetologist by trade and worked at Jo's Beauty Shop in Carbondale. She stepped away from this to stay at home and raise her two daughters, Kim and Penny. As her daughters got older, she began working at JoAnn Fabrics as a sales associate. During this time, she brought her mother, Awanda, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease, into their home and cared for her until she passed away. Later, she was employed at Montgomery Ward as a Human Resource Specialist and Southern Illinois University Carbondale where she worked as a Payroll Specialist until she retired. In recent years, she volunteered as the treasurer of Union Hill Christian Church.



In her free time, Janet enjoyed sewing and crafting. She sewed Kim and Penny's clothes when they were younger and loved making doll clothes for her granddaughter, Kara. She enjoyed using her skills to help family out by cutting their hair, spending many afternoons talking with relatives as they got their hair cut. She loved to cook and bake for her family, and every Sunday, she would prepare a special meal for the whole family often using food from the garden or food she had canned herself. Janet loved to help provide food for events at the church. She would relax in the evenings by watching Hallmark movies. She enjoyed getting together monthly with the Women's Breakfast Group to visit with friends.



Janet was loving and patient; she loved her family and friends and was always doing things to show them that she cared and thought about them. She was dependable and always kept her word. If she said she was going to do something, she did it, plus more. Janet was always putting others ahead of herself, she was trust-worthy, and someone you could easily talk to and confide in.



Janet is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law, Kimberly & Michael Maddox of College Station, Texas and Penny & William Burnside of Makanda, Illinois; by her grandchildren Nathanael Maddox and Kara Burnside. She is also survived by several cousins.



She was preceded in death by John Chadwick (Father), Elden Shaffner (Spouse), Ada Awanda (Allen) Chadwick (Mother), Clella Mae Chadwick (Sister who was stillborn).



Visitation for Janet will be held on Monday, April 25, 2022 from 5:00pm to 8:00pm at Meredith Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 26, 2022, at the funeral home with Reverend Gerald Holmes officiating. Burial will follow at Rowan Cemetery in Makanda, Illinois.



Memorials may be made in Janet’s name to Union Hill Christian Church or Rowan Cemetery and will be accepted at the funeral home.



Meredith Funeral Home in Carbondale assisted the family with arrangements. To leave a story or memory of Janet visit www.meredithfh.com