Obituary for Janet "Jan" Marie Luehrsmann

Janet (Jan) Luehrsmann of Marion passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Friday, August 8th at the Oldorf Hospice House.  The Funeral Mass will be at St. Matthew Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids at 10:00 am on Friday, August 15, 2025 with Father Douglas Loecke officiating with a luncheon to follow in Kearn Hall.  Private inurnment will be held at a later date.  

Janet Marie Luehrsmann was born on March 12th, 1942, to Joseph and Mary (Kluesner) Gotto in Farley, Iowa.    When Janet was a young girl, her family moved from their farm into the town of Dyersville. There, her mother opened the Gotto Café, where Janet worked alongside her older sister Kay. It was at the café that she met the love of her life, Ron Luehrsmann. Ron walked in, saw Janet, and it was love at first sight.  She graduated from St. Francis Xavier High School in Dyersville and obtained her RN degree from the Finley School of Nursing in Dubuque.  Jan was united in marriage to Ronald L. Luehrsmann on December 30th,1964 at the Basilica of St. Francis Xavier in Dyersville, Iowa. 

After graduating from nursing school, she worked briefly on staff at Finley before joining the medical staff for her future father-in-law Dr. BC Luehrsmann, MD.  Once married, she worked at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City until son Rory was born.  A nurse by training but a caregiver by nature, Jan made everyone feel accepted, heard, and loved.  Her home was a welcoming place, filled with laughter, warmth, and understanding.  After raising her children, she returned to nursing and worked 12 years at Mercy Hospital in Cedar Rapids before retiring in 2017.

Jan was a big sports fan and enjoyed following her children’s activities at CR Washington & the University of Iowa.  She also enjoyed spending days with family and grandkids, shopping trips with her sister, daughter and granddaughters, cooking, dancing, holidays, and Iowa Hawkeye game days. The most important thing to Jan was her family and faith.   Jan's faith was the foundation of her strength, compassion, and grace. She leaned on it throughout her life. 

She will be remembered as a loving wife, mother, a great grandmother and true friend.  Jan will be deeply missed by her family, friends and all those fortunate enough to have known her.  May she rest in eternal peace, forever remembered for her kindness, generosity and unwavering love.

Jan is survived by her husband of 60 years, Ron; her sons, Rory and Ryan, and daughter Raquel "Rocky"(Kevin) Visser, all of Cedar Rapids; five grandchildren, Courtney, Ashley, Brady, Cael and London; her sister, Helen (Dave) Wegmann of Farley; sister-in-law, Pat Gotto of Punta Gorda, FL; brother-in-law, Dr. Jack Hess (companion Beverly Valant); and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; two sisters, Mary Jo Gotto and Kay Gansemer; one brother, Anthony “Tony” Gotto; her sister-in-law, Darlene Hess; and her niece, Kim Witte. 

The family extends its thanks to the doctors and staff at the Hall Perrine Cancer Center and the Oldorf Hospice House, who showered Jan with love and respect as she left this world and received her angel wings. Special appreciation also goes to St. Matthew’s pastoral associates, Billie Burhite and Alex Long, and Dr. Melanie Stahlberg and Dr. Ryan Hollenbeck who lovingly cared for her over the years. 

Memorial contributions in Janet’s name may be directed to the Mercy Hospital Foundation, Oldorf Hospice House or St. Matthew’s Catholic Church.