Janet Craig

Janet Craig, 75, Oakland, IA, passed away at her Oakland home on June 12, 2018. Funeral services will be at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, June 15, 2018 at the Loess Hills Funeral Home in Carson, IA. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. Burial will be in the Carson Cemetery.

Memorials: Directed to the family

Janet Dian Craig, one of two daughters of Richard Ralph and Maxine Alice (Strayer) Dinkel, was born on February 26, 1943 in Omaha, Nebraska. Janet worked in the finance department of Northern Natural Gas in Omaha and later at the Oakland Gas plant. She took classes to be a master gardener. Janet started Country Classics, a Christmas gift and collectible store, in Walnut, IA, painted thousands of Santa's and attended large craft shows from Chicago to California.

Janet and Orien Wayne Hodges were united in marriage on February 26, 1988 at the Presbyterian Church in Carson.

Janet loved animals, flower gardening, reading, cooking, baking and dancing around the kitchen with her grandchildren. She was ambidextrous and could write with either hand. Janet hosted countless exchange students from Mexico, Brazil, Germany, Japan, and Nicaragua, to name a few, making her a "mom around the world". She loved spending time with her family, grandchildren, and friends. She was the best mom and grandma to her family and a good friend to all who knew her.

Janet passed away at her rural Oakland, Iowa home on June 12, 2018 at the age of 75 years, 3 months, and 16 days. She was preceded in death by her parents.

Janet is survived by Orien Hodges of Oakland; children, Bob Craig of Council Bluffs, IA, Becky (Jeff) Craig of Oakland, Ryan (Sally) Craig of Council Bluffs, Jeff (Crystal) Hodges of Oakland, and Deanna (David) Barker of Papillion, NE; 7 grandchildren, Amy, Michelle, Jake, Austin, Hunter, Danielle, Daelyn; 3 step grandchildren, Ashley, Brian, and Lucas; 2 great grandchildren Jaxson and Cayden; sister Patty (Mark) Wingate Takenaka of Reno, NV; her caregiver, Susan Putnam, who has become one of the family; and many friends and other caregivers.