Janet Lee Sergus

Janet Lee (Turoczy) Sergus, born March 23, 1961, deceased September 20th, 2022

at 61 years of age. She is survived by her husband of 35 years Timothy Sergus, son Karl (Corina) Sergus, grandchildren Isaac, Darren, and Levi Sergus, mother Mary Turoczy, sisters Jo Ellen (Walt) Dryburg and Anne Turoczy, brother Jon Turoczy and numerous nieces and nephews.

Janet is predeceased by her father, William Turoczy

Possessing a smile as gentle as a butterfly’s wing with the ability to lighten the weight of the heaviest of hearts, Janet’s sparkling eyes were forever focused on helping others…not for praise, honor or thank you but because she truly cared. Janet once said she would do nursing for free because she loved to help people. As a young girl she made a pretend patient chart containing different people with different injuries. Along with this love of helping was a strong faith, trust in Our Lord and her love of her family.  

Janet and Tim met when she was a waitress earning her Bachelor’s in nursing and he was a cook at Mr. Steak soon to join the navy.  She did not play easy to get. Tim’s persistence finally paid off, and they began their great love story. A loving and loyal wife, she followed Tim to Guam… just the two of them.  Janet once said that “Being this far from family either makes or breaks you as a couple,” and she was determined to make it.  Upon landing in Guam, one of the first things Janet asked, much to Tim’s dismay was, “Where is the nearest Catholic church?”  She knew even then that to make it, faith and God were the main ingredients.  

Their family was made complete with Karl. Janet traded in her full-time stethoscope to focus on the family and being the stabilizing force, a cool calming presence, enabling the love of her life the ability to thrive in his career, knowing Janet’s watchful eyes kept Karl safe. Karl thrived on that nurturing. In imitation of his mom’s steely, at 3 years old he cut the phone cord while Janet was talking because she wasn’t listening to him. There wasn't anything she wouldn’t do for family, and everything she did was with grace, love, and driven in her unwavering faith.  

Janet Lee didn’t preach her faith, she lived it. She always carried her cross, and in this last year she fully embraced it. As the cancer took its toll, she fell many times but always, in imitation of Our Lord, got up again. During one of her falls she quietly wept and asked “Jesus, how did you get up again?” After a few minutes she got up again. She never ceased offering her sufferings to Our Lord and Our Lord used that to bring a renewed sense of faith to many. 

Daughter, sister, wife, mother and Yaya for Isaac, Darren, and little Levi, so deep was that love that she and Tim migrated north to Wisconsin, trading in the city life and her Nurse Health Coach business for 5am visits from the neighborhood rooster and crooning cranes. However, keeping a 40-minute ride to Karl and Corina’s made the move well worth it.  

The sorrow we feel today is for us.  Janet’s brave fight is over.  She carried her cross, she fought the good fight, she finished the race, she held out to the end. Janet will live forever in our hearts until the day we are reunited.   

From her sister JoEllen:  The beauty of her soul shined through her radiant smile.  I will always envision my little sister Janet with her signature smile. She flashed that smile from cheek to cheek as we engaged in a lively game of cards and shared pistachios on the porch of the Grand Hotel in Mackinac. The camera preserved her smile on her happy wedding day to Tim. She captured the room full of smiles as she danced with Karl on his wedding day to Corina to the Beatles tune In My Life. I could hear her smile in a phone chat. I could feel her wonderful smile through her texts announcing the arrival of her beloved grandsons. and I shall continue to see her smile and to hear her melodious laughter which lifted up her joy as she spread it to others.  After all is said and done, Sister Love is forever.  

Wisconsin Arrangements: Visitation will be held on Friday, September 23, 2022 4:00pm to 7:00pm at Valley Funeral Home, 2211 N Richmond St, Appleton, WI 54911. Gathering time 11:00am, Saturday, September 24, 2022 at Saint Pius X Catholic Church, 500 W. Marquette St, Appleton WI with the Mass of Christian Burial to follow at 11:30am.

Michigan Arrangements: Tuesday, September 27th from 10:00am to 2:00 pm at Stanley Turowski Funeral Home, 25509 Warren Rd., Dearborn Heights, MI. Luncheon immediately following at Deluca’s Restaurant, 27424 Warren Rd., Westland, MI  48185

In lieu of flowers or other expressions of sympathy, please consider a donation the Northwestern Malnati Brain Tumor Institute. 

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