Dianne Marie Janetka

Dianne Marie Janetka, 82 of Brookfield, WI passed away peacefully on April 3. She is survived by her loving husband Daniel Steven Janetka and her two sons James Walter Janetka (wife Roseann) and Jeffrey Irven Janetka as well as her brother William Pelka (wife Linda), nieces and nephews, Luce Burke (husband Timothy), Lisa Fikejs (husband Scott), Luke Fikejs (wife Kimberley), Sherrianne (husband Kevin) and Dale Janetka (wife Dorothy) (children of Daniel’s late brother Alan Janetka (wife Marlene). Her death is preceded by her first-born son David Steve Janetka, her mother Lottie Pelka and father Irven Pelka, her dear sister Carol Fikejs (husband Ronald) and oldest nephew Laurence Fikejs.

Dianne was a loving wife, mother, daughter and sister who had an amazing and fruitful life filled with many ups and downs along the way. She was born Dianne Marie Pelka on July 12, 1942 in Argo, IL. Her family moved to Lemont and then LaGrange Park. In her childhood hometown neighborhood, she used to play baseball in the street with the boys and it turns out one of them, her next-door neighbor Daniel Janetka would be her future boyfriend and husband. In 1956 she graduated from Mt. Assisi Academy High School in Lemont and then completed secondary school training as a beautician. As a teenager, she first worked at a Dairy Cream ice cream shop. Then she was employed as the main receptionist at Corn Products Corp. and then an executive secretary inn Argo. On the side she worked as an independent hair stylist where she would perform haircuts and permanents for family members and clients.

Dianne married Daniel on October 24, 1964 at St. Louise De Marillac Church in LaGrange Park With her close sister Carol as the maid of honor. They lived in Maywood and conceived a baby boy David Steve on August 9, 1966. Then on November 23, 1968, they delivered another boy James Walter. Following the birth of James, they moved to Bellwood and then to the western suburb Lombard where they built a beautiful home and had a third child Jeffrey Irven who was born on December 14, 1976. In 1982, the family moved outside the Chicago area south to Peoria, IL due to Daniel’s job relocation. After Jeffrey was school age, Dianne worked for Northwoods shopping mall as a receptionist and security dispatcher for several years. They moved to East Peoria but on August 22, 1992, Dianne and her family suffered the tragic death of David who died at only 26 years old in a car accident while living and working as an architect in Kalamazoo and Battle Creek, MI. Following this event, Dianne and her family slowly recovered and with the help of Jeffrey in architectural design and labor built a beautiful home on the lake in Green Lake, WI after Daniel retired in 1998. She subsequently moved with Daniel and Jeffrey to Okauchee and then to Brookfield, WI.

Dianne went on many vacations and traveled frequently with her family even though she was not a big fan of traveling. She was very personable and friendly resulting in many long-term friendships along the way. Many of the trips were outdoor fishing and camping trips to Kentucky with the family of Daniel’s cousin Anthony “Sonny” Janetka who was married to one of Dianne’s most favorite friends Claudette, who also had three children Debbie, Richard, and Robert who were akin to additional nieces and nephews. The two families often spent New Year’s Eve together in which all have fond memories.

Dianne was an incredible cook and she really loved doing it as well, making everyone happy with her wonderful home cooked meals and baked goods. She enjoyed spending time crocheting where she would make blankets, sweaters, and a variety of other hand-crafted items. She also enjoyed puzzles, needleworking, and of course playing games including Pinochle, UNO, Yahtzee, and Michigan Rummy or like she called it “the penny game”. Most of all, she was the master of the household where she would take charge of everything from the cooking to the cleaning and the laundry in addition to the grocery store shopping. Dianne happily took on all of these responsibilities in both the best and worst of times.

The last 5 years of her life, she encountered many medical problems including hearing loss, blindness, and several strokes which severely weakened her but for those of us who knew her, she was one of the strongest people imaginable and thus fought hard to keep it all together even with all of her ailments. She will be remembered fondly by all who knew her as an “amazing lady” as one relative indicated. Dianne is now pain-free and happily with her son David and beloved sister Carol in heaven and looking down upon all of us to both protect us and to keep us in line.

Visitation will take place Wednesday, April 9, 2025 from 11:00 A.M. to time of Service occurring 1:00 P.M. at Hitzeman Funeral Home Ltd. 9445 31st Street, Brookfield, IL 60513

Interment Queen of Heaven Cemetery, Hillside.

Memorials appreciated to Ascension Living Franciscan Place, 19525 W North Ave, Brookfield, WI 53045

Information 708-485-2000 or www.HitzemanFuneral.com

For those of you that would like to express your condolences to the family, please click on the link above and you can leave the family a message. If you wish to send a sympathy card, please feel free to send it to Hitzeman Funeral Home, 9445 31st Street, Brookfield, IL 60513 c/o Dianne M. Janetka Family.  We will gladly forward it on to the family.