Janice Venzke

The funeral service for Janice Venzke of Wadena will be held at 11:00 am. Friday, March 18 at the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Wadena, MN. Visitation will be held on Thursday, at the Johnson-Schuller Chapel in Wadena from 4:00 until 7:00 p.m., with a tribute by the VFW Auxiliary at 4:30 p.m. Visitation will resume at the church on Friday from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the service. Janice, age 80, passed away peacefully of natural causes at the home she loved in Wadena, MN, on March 13, 2022. Janice Marie Poppen was born to Fred and Alma (Albrecht) Poppen on October 9, 1941, in De Smet, SD. Janice was united in marriage with Larry Meyer in 1964, and had two children, Kim and Loren. Jan and Larry divorced, and later Jan married Chuck Venzke, in 2000. This added two children, Mike and Kristel to the family. Having lived most of her life in Wadena, Jan will be remembered as a waitress at Schmidt Sportsman’s Bar, an aide at the Wadena Elementary School, and as a sales associate at Coast-to-Coast Hardware and Merickel Ace Hardware. Jan enjoyed many years of bowling on different leagues and going to numerous tournaments with her friends. She also found joy in cooking, baking, traveling, sewing, playing cards, gardening, canning, camping, shopping and all-around get-togethers. The time she spent as Auxiliary President and with the other Wadena VFW volunteers brought her a lot of joy, whether it was helping with the fish fry, poppy sales, feeding those in need, or supporting the workers and volunteers after the 2010 tornado in Wadena. She liked helping people! Preceding Janice in death were her husband, Charles (2018); parents, Fred and Alma; brothers, Fred Jr, Paul, John, and Caroll; and granddaughter, Sara Ludovissie. Memories of Jan will remain with her children, Kim Ditsworth and Loren (Kathy) Meyer both of Wadena; grandchildren, Josh Ditsworth, Kelsey (John) Chouinard, Kaitlin Ditsworth, Robbie (Kimberlee) Ludovissie, Logan (Britta) Meyer; siblings, Alan Poppen, Lyle Poppen, and Joyce (Marvin) Thompson; Chuck’s children, Kristel (Steve) Wittstruck of Eagen and Mike Venzke of Fargo, ND; grandchildren, Cheramie Venzke, Gabriel Venzke, Shane Wittstruck, Blake Wittstruck, Riley Wittstruck; and eight great-grandchildren; along with numerous friends. Burial will be in Wadena Cemetery, Wadena, MN.

Janice Venzke

October 9, 1941 - March 13, 2022