April 2026
Janice Marlene Blatt (nee Lang) passed away April 16, 2026. She was born December 8, 1940 in Le Mars, Iowa, the eldest child of Edward and Viola Lang. She was baptized into faith in her Lord Jesus at Trinity Lutheran Church, Hinton, Iowa and confirmed her faith there in 1955.
Jan went to a one-room country school in Merrill, Iowa from Kindergarten through Grade Six. She attended Junior and Senior High School in Le Mars, Iowa, graduating in May 1959. She continued her education at Concordia Teacher College in Seward, Nebraska, graduating in 1962.
After graduation, she accepted a call to teach at Northwest Lutheran School in Elmwood Park, Illinois. There she met Richard (Dick) Blatt on a date arranged by mutual friends. That date led to their marriage on August 1, 1964. The marriage was blessed by two children: Cheryl (Jim) Patrick and Steven (Susan) Blatt and further blessed by five grandchildren, Jack and Annika Patrick, and Sarah, Jacob, and Thomas (fiancé, Leah Plath) Blatt.
Jan taught at Pilgrim Lutheran School before becoming a stay-at-home mom for eight years. She then taught at Bethesda Lutheran School in Chicago, Illinois. She completed her teaching career at St. Philip Lutheran School where Dick was the principal. After retiring in 2004, they joined Trinity Lutheran Church in Lisle, Illinois. Jan was in the choir and Women’s Bible Study Groups. She felt privileged to be a part of the leadership team (WOW) at Trinity.
Jan and Dick loved to travel with family and friends. They were in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Istanbul, in addition to visiting numerous countries in Europe, including a river cruise in Russia. A highlight of their travels was attending the Passion Play in Oberammergau. Travel the past few years consisted of cruises to various places in the United States and Canada.
Although Jan was not an athlete, she faithfully attended all the grandkids’ sporting events. She greatly appreciated the grandkids’ band and choral concerts as well.
She will be missed by her sister Cindy (Dean) Grages, her nieces and nephews, cousins, and countless friends. She was a positive influence on all our lives.
We thank God for Jan’s faith in Christ and her life-long walk with Him. Through faith we also have the assurance of everlasting life.
Visitation will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church, 1101 Kimberly Way, Lisle, Illinois from 10am – noon on Friday, April 24, 2026. The funeral service will follow at noon.
In lieu of flowers, contributions to Trinity Lutheran Church, 1101 Kimberly Way, Lisle, IL 60532 or Lutheran Church Charities, 3200 Milwaukee Ave, Northbrook, IL 60062 are appreciated.