Janis Cutler Alexander was the third child of Merle and Lela Cutler and she grew up in rural Monona County, attending country school near Whiting. She married Ralph Alexander 26 April, 1953, and together they worked hard to privide for their growing family. They first rented an old house near Moville, but soon bought a small farm in the hills west of Smithland, Iowa. Janis worked hard, driving the tractor to bring in hay, planting gardens, canning and freezing food, and putting three meals a day on the table. As her family grew, she expanded the small house by purchasing another small house and moving it in to add on. Church was so important to her that she drove 26 miles each way, four times a week, to take her children to the Pentecostal Church in Onawa. Education was important to her, too, and she worked to get as much college education as she could, becoming a teacher later in life. She taught elementary school in Winnebago, Ne, and Leeds (Sioux City) and Special Education at Anthon, Iowa. When her husband, Ralph, became ill and needed dialysis three times a week, she drove him to every appointment, and cared for him constantly. After his death in 2006, she became ill herself, and her children provided care for her in her own home. She became attached to her last caregiver, Dana Hovinga, who treated her as her own mother. She is buried with Ralph, and next to the two sons she lost as babies, Merlin and Dovin.
Janis Cutler Alexander was the third child of Merle and Lela Cutler and she grew up in rural Monona County, attending country school near Whiting. She married Ralph Alexander 26 April, 1953, and together they worked hard to privide for their growing family. They first rented an old house near Moville, but soon bought a small farm in the hills west of Smithland, Iowa. Janis worked hard, driving the tractor to bring in hay, planting gardens, canning and freezing food, and putting three meals a day on the table. As her family grew, she expanded the small house by purchasing another small house and moving it in to add on. Church was so important to her that she drove 26 miles each way, four times a week, to take her children to the Pentecostal Church in Onawa. Education was important to her, too, and she worked to get as much college education as she could, becoming a teacher later in life. She taught elementary school in Winnebago, Ne, and Leeds (Sioux City) and Special Education at Anthon, Iowa. When her husband, Ralph, became ill and needed dialysis three times a week, she drove him to every appointment, and cared for him constantly. After his death in 2006, she became ill herself, and her children provided care for her in her own home. She became attached to her last caregiver, Dana Hovinga, who treated her as her own mother. She is buried with Ralph, and next to the two sons she lost as babies, Merlin and Dovin.
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