Janet "Jan" Gage

Age 93 died on November 1, 2023 peacefully at home, in her own bed with family by her side. She was born September 5, 1930, the daughter of Vincent and Alvera (Schmidlkofer) Gage in Wausau, Wisconsin.

Jan earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and a Master’s Degree in Educational Psychology from the University of Minnesota.

A lifelong learner, she had many adventures over the years and especially valued education and travel. She was a teacher in Port Edwards, WI, Santa Paula and San Bernadino, CA, and for the Department of Defense in Germany teaching children of American military personnel. She eventually settled in Stillwater, MN where she became an avid Vikings fan (to the chagrin of her family in Wisconsin). Jan worked as a secondary school counselor for the Stillwater area schools for almost 30 years and retired in 1992.

Jan loved to travel, and visited many interesting places around the world. She also loved to read, garden, and play golf, achieving two holes-in-one during her life.

Jan was a wonderful sister, aunt, and friend who will be greatly missed. She is survived by her brothers Robert Gage, Gerald “Jerry” (Janice) Gage, and Vincent (Eleanor “Ellie”) Gage, eleven nieces and nephews and their spouses, as well as many great (and great-great) nieces and nephews. She also had many, many dear friends, including the ‘wild women’, her close friends at Boutwell’s Landing, and pretty much everyone in Stillwater she had the fortune to meet. Jan is preceded in death by her parents and her sisters Eileen Gage and Eunice “Toby” (Daniel) Whiteley.

A memorial service is planned for Saturday, December 9 at 2:00pm at Bradshaw in Stillwater, with visitation at 1:00pm.  

In addition, a memorial mass will be held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Marathon, WI on November 10 at 3:00pm, with visitation at 2:00pm.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Janet Gage Housing Scholarship at Viterbo University, 900 Viterbo Drive, La Crosse, WI 54601.