Janet May Foat

Janet May Foat, a cherished matriarch and a loving guide to her family, passed away peacefully on June 25, 2025, in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, at the age of 102. Born on December 18, 1922, in Rochester, Wisconsin, at the family farm, her dad went out with horse and buggy in a snowstorm to get someone to help at her birth. Janet lived a life woven with rich memories, surrounded by her loved ones and encapsulated in the beauty of nature.

Growing up on a farm developed by her grandparents, Janet's early life was shaped by the values instilled by her Methodist schoolteacher mother and her dairy farmer father. Their emphasis on hard work and integrity would become cornerstones in her own life. Supported by the beloved family horse, Old Molly, Janet's childhood was filled with simple joys and enduring lessons. Her formative years provided a strong foundation that she would carry forth into adulthood.

In a love story that began at Waukesha Beach, Janet married Milton Foat on May 15, 1943. Their romance blossomed against the backdrop of that once-beloved amusement park and resort on Pewaukee Lake. While the world was engulfed in the challenges of World War II and Milton answered the call to serve in the Navy in the Pacific, their bond only deepened. During this time apart, their daughter Carol was born, a joyful testament to their unbreakable connection.

After the war, Janet and Milton created a warm and nurturing home in Big Bend, Wisconsin, where they resided independently for an impressive 70 years. Their home, with its expansive garden and fruit trees, was an oasis of love and laughter, adjacent to the school that their children, Carol, Lawrence and Jeffrey, attended. School children often found delight in their yard, frequently visiting to retrieve lost balls.