Janet Loreen (Painter) Craft, 74, was born in Henry County Memorial Hospital to Lowell and Eileen (Stubbs) Painter on July 3, 1947. She was raised in rural Spiceland and attended Spiceland Schools. She graduated from Spiceland High School in 1965. Upon graduation, she worked at the Henry County Memorial Hospital pharmacy as an aide and also attended Ball State University. She continued to work until March 1, 1969 when she married her high school sweetheart, Darrell Craft, who had just finished a year-long deployment in South Korea. After their marriage she went with her husband to finish his military obligation. Upon returning to Spiceland, she worked various jobs including New Castle State Hospital, Henry Co. Welfare Department, and Citizens State Bank-Spiceland Branch.
Afterwards she decided she wanted to stay home to raise her kids and opened a daycare in her home which she ran for many years. In 1984 she went to work at the Henry County Courthouse and worked part time in various offices until she went full time in the County Assessor’s Office. In 2007, Janet retired after 23 years of service. She also held positions on the Spiceland Township Election Board, the Spiceland Township Advisory Board, and was a Board Member of the Spiceland High School Alumni for 23 years. She was a lifelong member of the United Society of Friends where she was a fifth-generation member. Her hobbies included creating Santas on wood, plaster, and slate. She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star #463. She was a voracious reader and she spent almost 40 years researching family history to create family albums for her boys.
Her greatest joys came from watching her grandchildren grow. In her later years she suffered failing health and was on dialysis for 8 years as a result of diabetes. Her husband was her primary caregiver.
Left to cherish her memory, is her husband, Darrell D. Craft of Spiceland; two sons, Michael Craft of Spiceland and Patrick (Stacey) Craft of Knighstown; six grandchildren, Darrell Wesley Craft and Taylor Paige Craft, both of Spiceland, Ryan Gilbert Craft of Knighstown, Chandler Michael Craft, and Ross Maddox Craft, both of Spiceland, and Trace Russell Craft of Knightstown; her brother, John (Cindy) Painter of Ft. Wayne; several nieces, nephews, and a host of dear friends.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her mother and father-in-law, Russell and Nancy (Hamilton) Hunt.
Services will be at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, June 30, 2022 at Spiceland Friends Meeting with Pastor David Brock officiating. Burial will follow in Circle Grove Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4-8 pm., Wednesday, June 29, 2022 at Hinsey-Brown Funeral Service in New Castle where an Eastern Star service will be held at 4:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the United Society of Friends Meeting in Spiceland or Fresenius Dialysis Center in New Castle. Condolences and memories of Janet may be expressed at www.hinsey-brown.com.