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Janet I. Waara, age 59, of Philip, died Sunday, September 11, 2005, at the Rapid City Regional Hospital.

Janet I. Fortune was born February 6, 1946, in Wall, South Dakota, the daughter of Howard and Irene (Clements) Fortune. She grew up on a ranch east of Quinn, and attended 1^st through 5^th grade in Quinn, before going to Philip, where she graduated in 1964. After graduation, she attended Black Hills College in Spearfish and later graduated from Professional Business Institute in Minneapolis, Minnesota as a lab technician. She then worked in Minneapolis in OBGYN and as a lab tech.

Janet was united in marriage to Raymond Rotzien on August 2, 1969, in Minneapolis, and to this union were born three children: Michael, Catherine, and Laura. They made their home in Minneapolis before moving back to Philip in February 1988, where people loved her.

While in Philip, Janet managed the Thunderbird Motel. In September 1990, she entered the Addiction Recovery Center in Rapid City, and was proud of her new way of life. She then started her domestic work in the Philip area.

Janet was united in marriage to Boyd Waara on December 8, 1992 in Philip. They continued to make their home in Philip, where she continued her domestic work until retiring in 1997 due to health reasons.

Janet was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Philip where she served on the parish council, taught CCD and was the CCD coordinator for the last ten years, and cleaned the church until 2001. Church was a very important part of her life, and the most important person in her life was her mother.

Grateful for having shared her life include her husband Boyd Waara of Philip; a son Michael Rotzien of Winthrop, Minnesota; two daughters Catherine Wirkus and her husband Mark of Black Hawk, and Laura Rotzien of Rapid City; two grandchildren Brad and Molly Wirkus; two step-sons Clint Waara and his wife Billie Jo of Ft. Pierre, and Lee Waara of Spearfish; her mother Irene Fortune of Quinn; five sister Kay Williams of Philip, Judy Harrington and her husband Dan of Gresham, Oregon, Billie Hett and her husband Don of Buffalo, Pam Fortune of Livingston, New Jersey, and Mary Lou Guptill and her husband Pat of Quinn; and a host of other relatives and friends.

Janet was preceded in death by her father and one brother Scott Fortune.

Visitation was held Tuesday, September 13, from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., with a vigil services at 7:00 p.m., all at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Philip.

Mass of Christian Burial was held 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, September 14, at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, with Father Ron Garry and Father Arnold Kari as celebrants.

Interment was in the Masonic Cemetery, Philip.

A memorial is established.

Written tributes may be made at www.rushfuneralhome.com

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