Janet D. Welken

Janet Denise Welken, 61, longtime Moorhead resident, passed away after a long battle with cancer Thursday, January 13th at her home with her loving husband by her side.January was born to Roland and Charlotte Gessner in Valley City, ND on April 2, 1949. She graduated from Valley City High School with honors in 1967. January graduated with honors from Valley City State University with a double major in Physical Education/Health and Business Education in 1970. She completed her master's degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN, in 1996. While a student at VCSU, January married her high school sweetheart, Ken Welken. They were married in 1969 and enjoyed 41 1/2 years of loving partnership. January started teaching in 1970 at Central Cass High School in Casselton, ND. She taught physical education and business, started girl's basketball, coached track, and supervised the cheerleaders as well as many other activities. In 1974, she took her basketball team to state and still has the most wins of any coach of girl's basketball at Casselton. January also put on basketball workshops at some of the local colleges. She taught at Casselton until 1977 when she gave birth to her first son. January was a stay at home mom for eleven years during which time she taught Sunday school and was a room mother. In 1988 she started substitute teaching in Moorhead, MN, K-5 and taught full time at Riverside Elementary and Ellen Hopkins Elementary in Moorhead, MN until she retired in 2009. January wrote and published a kindergarten physical education curriculum that numerous school districts throughout the state purchased. In 2002, she received the Minnesota MAHPERD Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year Award. January dearly loved teaching and her students and they loved her sense of fair play, sportsmanship, honesty, integrity and hard work. She was the department chair of the Moorhead Elementary Physical Education Department for many years. With her leadership and the hard work of her fellow physical education teachers, they developed an elementary physical education curriculum that was the envy of many school districts. One thing important to January was teaching lifetime fitness to her students and the benefits they will receive from it. She lived life to the fullest with no regrets, giving her time and energy to those she loved. January enjoyed traveling, tennis, reading, gardening, playing games and most of all spending time with her family and grandchildren. Her many friends enjoyed being with her because she always made them feel good about themselves. January was a great mentor and a wonderful example for family and friends. She will be greatly missed.January was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her husband, Ken Welken, Moorhead; children, son Nathan Kasey Welken of Minneapolis, MN and their boys Taylor and Mason, son Nick Amanda Welken of West Fargo, ND and their boy Ethan. She is also survived by her sister Diane Ron Sem of Wausau, WI; and numerous nieces and nephews. The Welken family would like to thank Dr. Preston Steen and his associates, his nurse Denise, the infusion center nursing staff, the pharmacy department, and all the other great employees at Roger Maris Cancer Center. Your care and compassion is inspiring.