Jannis Kay Sawyer,76, St. Joseph, Missouri, passed away Saturday, November 4, 2023, at Mosaic Life Care with her family by her side.
She was born on August 5, 1947, to Donald Lee and Margaret Jane (Cooksey) Sawyer in Trenton, Missouri.
A few years after her birth, the family moved to St. Joseph, Missouri. Jannis grew up in South St. Joseph with her family and continued to live in the house that her parents had purchased until passing away. Jannis was very proud of being known as a 238er and graduating from Benton High School in 1965.
Jannis’ first job after graduating was working at Whitaker Cable and she continued working there for some 20 years until they closed the doors. From there, she went to work for Sherwood Medical until the flood of 1993 which shut the plant down. Finishing her many years of hard work, her last employment was with Seitz Meat Packing Company, later called Hillshire Farms, until retiring in May of 2014.
Jannis was a very family-oriented person. Her bond with family was to make sure that her parents and all of her siblings were taken care of through sickness and that they were never in need of anything. Jannis was the caregiver for her oldest brother, Denver, before his passing in 1999. Jannis was also the caregiver for both of her parents before their passing.
She enjoyed the outdoors when she wasn’t helping others. Her passion was mowing her lawn, working in the garden and fishing when time permitted.
She was preceded in death by her parents, and older brother, Denver L. Sawyer.
Survivors include her siblings, Barbara A. Tillery (John), Ronald G. Sawyer (Linda), Arthur W. Sawyer (Stefania), Norman L. Sawyer (Shelly), Hugh B. Sawyer (Brenda), and Keith R. Sawyer (Debbie), along with 16 nieces, nephews, and numerous great nieces and great nephews.
Graveside Services & Interment 1:00 P.M. Thursday, Memorial Park Cemetery. The family will gather with friends from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. Wednesday, Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory.
