Ruth A. Janssen

November 9, 1934 - February 21, 2022

Ruth Ann Pigott Janssen, age 87, of Kearney, passed away Monday, February 21, 2022 at Mother Hull Home in Kearney. There will be a private family service held at a future date. Memorials are suggested to the family to be designated later. Please visit www.hlmkfuneral.com to leave a tribute or message of condolence. Horner Lieske McBride & Kuhl Funeral and Cremation Services in Kearney is in charge of arrangements. Ruth was born on November 9th, 1934, in Sac City, Iowa to Osroe and Harriet Fuchs. The teachers in Cherokee Country Schools instilled within Ruth a love for learning and education. She graduated from Wilson High School in Cherokee Iowa as valedictorian of her class of 68 students in 1953. Ruth and Ronald Pigott married shortly thereafter and had two sons: David and Dean. After motherhood, Ruth was one of the early non-traditional students attending college. She completed a double major in Elementary Education and Sociology in 1972 at Westmar College. She went on to earn a Master’s degree in Sociology from Iowa State University in 1974 and started teaching for Kearney State College. In the following years, she continued her education and ultimately earned a PhD in Sociology from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln in 1985. With her doctorate in hand, Ruth applied for and was awarded an associate professor of Sociology position at the University of Nebraska, before moving on to full professorship. She retired in the 1999-2000 school year after spending a 5-year term as chair of the department. In her retirement, Ruth fell in love with and married Wally Janssen sharing experiences traveling, dancing, and visiting with friends and relatives. Survivors include two sons: David Pigott and Dean Pigott; two sisters, Margaret Mundt and Catherine Flanagan and family members; stepdaughter Rowan Buckley, step son Gary and wife Susanne Janssen and family members; sister-in-law Donna Janssen; niece Judy and Alden Pfannenstiel. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husbands Ronald Pigott and Wally Janssen, brother-in-law Gilbert Janssen and wife, sister Joann Werthman, brother-in-law Dr. Marvin Mundt, and nephew Martin Mundt.