Janet E. Hahm

Janet Elaine nee’ Guenther Hahm from conception A.D. 1944—2024

Janet Elaine Hahm (née Guenther) July 11, 1945 - August 17, 2024

Janet Elaine Hahm (née Guenther) was called from this earthly life to eternal glory by her risen and ascended Lord, Jesus Christ, on August 17, 2024. With unwavering faith in His promises and the certainty of His words of eternal life, Janet entered the realm of eternity, where she now enjoys the fullness of joy and heavenly blessedness. Revelation 2:10 encapsulates the promise she held dear.

Born on July 11, 1945, to Edward Carl Guenther and Elizabeth nee’ Flachsenberger Guenther, Janet was welcomed into God’s Kingdom of Grace through the Sacrament of Holy Baptism on August 12, 1945, at Jerusalem Evangelical Lutheran Church in Morton Grove, Illinois. She attended Jerusalem Lutheran Grade School and, after receiving catechetical instruction under Pastor George W. Boldt, publicly professed her faith in the true teachings of the Bible as confessed by the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod on May 17, 1959.

Janet’s early life was marked by her dedication to both faith and education. She helped her father with his truck-farm produce and gardening store on Dempster Avenue while at home. She attended high school at Michigan Lutheran Seminary in Saginaw, Michigan, where she graduated in 1963. She continued her education at Milwaukee Lutheran Teacher’s College and later at Doctor Martin Luther College (now Martin Luther College) in New Ulm, Minnesota, earning her teaching degree in 1967.

On June 18, 1967, Janet married Pastor Martin R. Hahm. Their life together began with a honeymoon that took them from a family cabin in northern Wisconsin to Montreal for Expo 67, Quebec, and Niagara Falls. The couple then began their ministry together at Trinity Lutheran Church in Sturgis, South Dakota. Janet was a devoted helpmate in ministry, playing a crucial role in initiating a dual parish with Hope Lutheran in Spearfish, South Dakota. Their ministry continued in Texas, serving at St. Mark’s in Duncanville, Zion in Hillsboro, and later, Glory Lutheran in De Soto, as it joined the WELS.

Despite medical challenges with infertility, Janet and Martin were blessed with eight children: Rachel and Joanna in South Dakota; Bethel, Daniel and Jonathan, born in Dallas, Texas; followed by Tabitha, Nathanael and Deborah in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The couple also mourned the loss of our full-term, stillborn daughter, Elisabeth, in 1983.

Janet’s love for teaching was evident throughout her life. While in Kenosha, she assisted with teaching at St. Luke’s Evangelical Lutheran Church and School from 1975 to 1988. Later, she transitioned to full-time teaching at Houston SAC (Student Achievement Center) in Abilene, Texas, where she was instrumental in establishing Living Hope Lutheran Church, a WELS exploratory mission from 1988 to 1991. The Hahm family then relocated to White Rock, New Mexico, where Janet served at Messiah Lutheran from 1992 to 1997.

Her passion for teaching and faithfulness to her husband led her to the White Mountain Apache Reservation in northeastern Arizona, where she taught at Theodore Roosevelt School in Fort Apache from 1992 to 2005. During this time, she earned a Master’s degree in Elementary Education from Northern Arizona University on May 7, 2004. Janet’s commitment to education extended to Northern Pioneer College in Whiteriver, where she taught Apache adults and prepared youth for high school and college. From 2005 to 2021, she served at John F. Kennedy BIE School, specializing in special education, where she earned her Master’s in Special Education, also from NAU.

After retiring from the Bureau of Indian Education, Janet and Martin moved to Grafton, Wisconsin, where she enjoyed spending more time with her children and grandchildren. She also occasionally substituted at Our Savior Lutheran School in Grafton. Her final years were marked by a courageous battle with stage 4 cancer, during which she remained grateful for the dedicated care she received from her doctors, medical staff, and caregivers.

Janet is survived by her beloved husband, Martin, their eight children, 26 grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her brothers, James (Linda) and Jon (Rhonda); her sister, Joan (Andy Fuhrman); brothers-in-law, Paul (Eunice) and Jonathan (Linda); and sister-in-law, Lois (David Ebeling). Janet’s dear friend and co-worker, Carlita Lewis, along with many student friends and families from the Apache reservations, the White Mountain and San Carlos Apache, also mourn her passing, including members of the Havasupai in the Grand Canyon, and Lakota Sioux communities,

Throughout her life, Janet was a reflection of Christ’s perfect love, dedicating her life to preparing others for the eternal family reunion in glory. Her legacy of faith, love, and service lives on in all who were blessed to know her. As Revelation 14:13 reminds us, "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on... for their deeds will follow them."

Janet’s family rejoices in her eternal victory and looks forward to the day when they will be reunited with her at the Family Reunion of His saints triumphant in glory.

Revelation 14:12 Here patient endurance is needed by the saints, who hold on to the commands of God and their faith in Jesus. 13 And I heard a voice from heaven say,[f] “Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “because they will rest from their labors, for their works follow them.”

1 Corinthians 15: 51 Look, I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the blink of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on imperishability, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 But once this perishable body has put on imperishability, and this mortal body has put on immortality, then what is written will be fulfilled:

Death is swallowed up in victory.[m]

55 Death, where is your sting?

Grave, where is your victory?[n] [o]

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! 58 Therefore, my dear brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

John 11:25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me will live, even if he dies. 26 And whoever lives and believes in me will never perish.[b] Do you believe this?”

Run the Race Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us get rid of every burden and the sin that so easily ensnares us, and let us run with patient endurance the race that is laid out for us. 2 Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, who is the author of our faith and the one who brings it to its goal. In view of the joy set before him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of God’s throne. 3 Carefully consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinful people, so that you do not grow weary and lose heart.

Revelations 22:16 I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright Morning Star.

17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears this say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come. Let the one who wants the water of life take it as a gift.

18 I give this warning to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book. 19 And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the Tree[d] of Life and in the Holy City, which are written in this book.

20 The one who testifies about these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

21 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ[e] be with all the saints.[f] Amen.

Scripture quotes from the Evangelical Heritage Version— WartburgProject.org

Contact Martin or a family member regarding the family reunion(s). As informed in Scriptures above, this includes your invitation to the Family Reunion in glory.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to “The WELS Foundation.” [In memoriam Janet E Hahm]

You may also contact WELS https://wels.net/contact-us/ OR by calling 414-256-3200 or sending mail to:

Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod

N16W23377 Stone Ridge Drive

Waukesha, WI 53188-1108

If you would like to mail a gift to WELS, make the check payable to “WELS” and send to this address.

Gift designations can be indicated in the memo line of the checks. {Any WELS affiliated charity.}

** Photo on tribute wall is from Janet’s 1967 Graduation from DMLC, New Ulm, MN. Special ThanX to MLC [Martin Luther College, a WELS * pastor, teacher, and staff ministry college, for sharing this graduation picture with us. Photo of Janet’s glorified state in the realm of eternity during this time, our time of grace, is unavailable until our Family Reunion in glory. Until eternity.

1 John 3: 2 Dear friends, we are children of God now, but, what we will be, has not yet been revealed. We know that when he [Jesus] is revealed, we will be like him, and we will see him as he really is.