Janet Sue Cunningham

Mother, grandmother, favorite aunt, teacher (Mrs. C), and friend, Janet Sue (Rodgers) Cunningham, 85, of Indianapolis passed away peacefully in hospice care surrounded by family after a six-month illness on July 12, 2024.

Janet thought of her best accomplishments in life as her daughter, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-granddaughter. She loved teaching children, encouraging them to be the best they could be. One of her students recently relayed how she wasn’t a strong speller and eventually received a 100% on her spelling test. She said "Mrs. C. blew a whistle and had the whole class stop what they were doing to cheer!" Janet loved reading and writing and encouraged children to be both readers and writers. Janet herself had written many stories of memories of her childhood growing up on the farm in Clinton County with her childhood friendships and beloved family. Janet taught 3rd and 5th grade at Parkview Primary and Parkview Intermediate respectively in Bedford, Indiana for thirty-five years.

Janet enjoyed traveling and spent many summers traveling to Europe and throughout the United States with family and friends, indulging in local culinary and community culture. There were always anticipated gifts for all the children in her family, embroidered shirts and phareon caps from Greece, paddington bears, tea sets, and London Bridge books from Harrods Department store in England, felt derby hats and matching wool kilts and sweaters from Scotland.

Janet could always be found in the crowd cheering on her grandchildren at swimming meets, soccer matches, and basketball games. She continued to support her great-grandchildren and if she couldn't attend games, band concerts, or music/theater performances, she wanted a video to view the performance and show off to her friends. She loved to FaceTime with her great-great-granddaughter as she was learning to talk and say the words, “Hi GraNan”.

Friendship was important to Janet, and she would be the organizer of gatherings of church friends for dinner, meeting with teacher friends for coffee, playing cards, or various other outings. She loved attending annual reunions of the Jackson Township Cardinals, her school in Clinton County, to reconnect with old friends. She has been friends with some of them for over eighty years. She also cherished the new friends recently made when moving to Robin Run Village in Indianapolis.

Janet had a Masters and Bachelors in Education from Indiana University and was very active in First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Bedford, holding a variety of offices and serving on a number of committees including youth leader and Sunday school teacher for many years.

Janet will be greatly missed by her daughter, Julia Cunningham Holloway; grandchildren, Shannon Holloway-Sargent (Chris), Merideth Holloway Sprigler (Joey), and Stuart Holloway (Jacky); great-grandchildren Josie Sargent, Hana Sargent, Alexander Holloway, Vanessa Holloway, Emma Sprigler, AJ Sprigler, and great-great-granddaughter, Eleanor; nieces and nephews: Janie Telander, Susan Robey, Barbara Johnson, Beverly Holloway, William Dickhaut, Andrew Mosier, Elizabeth Mosier, Paul Mosier; and brother-in-law Richard Dickhaut.

Janet was preceded in death by her parents, Clinton and Ruth Rodgers; brothers, Edward Rodgers and Harold Rodgers; sisters, Mary Dickhaut and Ruth Mosier; sisters-in-law, Jean Rodgers and Jane Rodgers; brother-in-law, Russell Mosier; nephew, John (Jed) Dickhaut; niece, Lisa Kenter; and nephew-in-law, Scott Robey.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), 1101 15th Street, Bedford, Indiana 47421 at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 24, 2024.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be directed to Bedford Christian Camp in Janet’s name to rebuild a shelter house in honor of her dedication to children. Donations can be mailed to First Christian Church, 1101 15th Street, Bedford, Indiana 47421.

Neptune Society is in charge of cremation arrangements.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared by visiting: https://neptunesociety.com/obituaries/indianapolis-in/janet-cunningham-11895303.