Janet Mae Paffenroth passed away at age 100 on June 5, 2018, at Parkview Health Center. She was born in Oshkosh on March 28, 1918, the daughter of William and Martha (Koehler) Friedrich. At age 4, her mother suffered a fatal stroke, and Janet was lovingly raised by her father, grandmother Augusta Friedrich and aunts Clara, Marguerite and Lydia Friedrich.
Janet graduated from Oshkosh High School in 1936 and married her high school sweetheart, Walter Miller, in 1937. The Millers divorced in 1944, but remained lifelong friends. After her marriage, Janet resided in Cincinnati, Ohio, with her Aunt Marguerite and worked in the administrative office at the Gibson Hotel, often spending leisure time engaging in a favorite pastime, watching horseracing at local tracks and placing a few small bets.
In 1949, Janet returned to Oshkosh, later marrying her husband of 54 years, Herman Paffenroth. She spent the remainder of her life as a loving wife, mother and homemaker. She was especially proud of serving only home-cooked meals and desserts made from scratch. Pies were a particular request of family and guests. When Janet wasn’t in her kitchen or tending to her house and yard, she was usually found at a card table displaying her talents and competitive spirit in a game of bridge or poker. She was a member of numerous card clubs with friends and family throughout her life. She also was a devoted viewer of televised golf tournaments, gaining interest in the sport from Herman, who was an avid golfer prior to his death in March, 2007.
Although Janet was not one to engage in idle chatter, she didn’t fail to speak her mind when she had an opinion. She was known for her unrestrained honesty, common sense, quick wit and humor and, especially, her strong will. At age 86, she astounded doctors by surviving life-threatening, third-degree burns over both legs, requiring an extensive skin graft operation at the Burn Center in Milwaukee and six months of hospitalization and rehabilitation to regain her ability to walk. Medical staff credited her fortitude, determination and spunk for recovery from an ordeal others her age likely would not have overcome.
Janet is survived by her daughter Sandra Paffenroth of Oshkosh and son Dr. Jeffrey (Carol) Paffenroth, grandsons Dr. Trenton Paffenroth and Braeden Paffenroth, all of Appleton, and granddaughter Dr. Skylar Paffenroth of Salida, Co.; nephews Dr. Charles (Jan) Paepke of Plattsburg, N.Y., Frederick (Mary) Paepke of St. Cloud, Mn., Jay (Sharon) Friedrich of Oshkosh and Craig Friedrich of Scarborough, Me.; nieces Kay (Ron) Bunke of Oshkosh and Carliss (Doug) Lau of Prescott, Wi.; numerous nieces and nephews in the Paffenroth family, including special niece and nephew Sherry (Dave) Smoody and Bill (Maureen) Paffenroth, both of Oshkosh; and special friend Midge Agrell Countin of Oshkosh.
Janet was preceded in death by her parents, beloved grandmother and aunts, two husbands, sister and brother-in-law Ruth and Elmer Paepke; brothers and sisters-in-law Carl and Maevis Friedrich and Bill and Lorraine Friedrich; nephew Dr. Brad Friedrich and niece Marcia Ogden.
The family expresses heartfelt gratitude to the Prarieside 2 staff at Parkview Health Center for bringing diligent care, kindness and reciprocal good humor into the final four years of Janet’s life. Private services are being held for immediate family at Seefeld Funeral Chapels in Oshkosh, with burial in the Friedrich family plot at Riverside Cemetery.

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