Janet Lee (Katz) Eckhaus

On August 5, 2023, Janet Lee (Katz) Eckhaus, of Silver Spring, MD, passed away peacefully at age 75. She was surrounded by the love and presence of her entire family on her final day. Janet was married to Joseph Eckhaus for nearly 52 years and she was an incredible mother to Beth Rollison (Randy), Micah Eckhaus (Noemi), and Jennifer Eckhaus (Javier De La Camara); a devoted Bubbe (Grandmother) of Levi Eckhaus, Isaac Eckhaus, Brandon Rollison, and Leo De La Camara; and the beloved cousin of Sandy Berlin (Stuart), Sharon Gefter and the late Francis Mindel, Jerold Yuter (Sheila), and Janice Footer (Michael).

Janet was born December 31, 1947 at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda, MD. She was adopted at birth by a loving couple, Isadore and Bettye (Foreman) Katz. While she was an only child, she was surrounded by her beloved Cousins, Aunts, Uncles, and Grandparents growing up in a tight-knit Orthodox Jewish community in Northwest DC. She graduated from Calvin Coolidge High School in 1965 and attended Dental Hygiene school at Howard University, becoming a dental hygienist in her young adulthood. She devastatingly lost her mother at a young age, just before marrying Joe in 1971. In 1975, she became a mother, a role that she was born for and loved, and she was so happy to finally have a blood relative that she knew! Two more children came in 1978 and 1979 and Janet became a fixture in the community of Stonegate in Silver Spring, MD. She was a caring mother to any and all children who crossed her path. She did not like being an only child growing up so she was happiest when her house was filled with people she loved and with lots of activity and fun. No one was ever a stranger, so anyone she met became a part of her family.

As her children got older and more independent, Janet went back to school at Columbia Union College and got a Bachelor's Degree in Healthcare Administration. She became a full-time working mother, first working as the Office Manager at The Maternity Center, a birthing center owned and operated by Nurse Midwives, then working as a Program Manager at the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine. She became a Bubbe in 2008, a role she loved even more than being a mother! Three more grandchildren came over the next ten years and she loved singing songs, reading books, and being silly with each of them. Janet always hosted the family and cooked for the Jewish Holidays and taught, not her daughters, but her Mexican daughter-in-law how to carry on this tradition:) She loved to read books, watch her sports and shows on TV and she was an avid knitter, teaching her children, cousins, friends, and grandchildren how to knit and initiating ambitious family knitting projects creating blankets to give to family and friends to celebrate weddings and births. Janet also loved Motown and dancing at weddings and Bar/Bat Mitzvahs.

In the early 2000s, Janet began facing one of many health challenges that were to come. Each seemed to compound the previous and she had to retire from the work she loved due to disability. Her mobility became very limited, eventually resulting in her being bedridden for the past 6 years. Despite this, her personality and attitude remained incredibly positive, joyful, and loving. She continued to host and gather people in her home and be surrounded by the chaos and love that came with her large 'family.' Janet had many wonderful caregivers over this time who enabled her to stay in her home throughout most of these years, including her son Micah and daughter-in-law Noemi, and her husband Joe who was by her side much of the time - both arguing with her and loving her - her ride or die:). Janet spent her last 4 months at an incredible Assisted Living residential home called Necitas Assisted Living. She was cared for by the most compassionate and caring staff who loved her like family.

A very special surprise happened later in Janet's life. Her daughter, Jennifer, encouraged her to take a DNA test to learn what her heritage was. Because of this, our family ended up finding and connecting with her three half-siblings on her birth father's side, welcoming an in-person visit from her half-brother Gary and his wife and forming an email relationship with her half-sister Terry and half-brother Ron. A connection was also made by a new-found cousin William on her birth mother's side and he was able to help us find her likely birth mother and to create an email connection to her likely half-sister Patricia. Janet was always devoted to Isadore and Bettye, the parents that lovingly raised her, and her Katz family; but she was excited to learn of and meet more blood relatives and to expand her family even further. She said that she always wanted a sister:)

Janet touched the lives of countless people during her time with us on Earth. She has left a legacy of unconditional love, compassion, inclusion, selflessness and joy that will live on through her children, grandchildren and all who were lucky to know her.

Janet’s funeral service will be held on Tuesday, August 8, 2023 at 10AM in the chapel at Judean Memorial Gardens (16225 Batchellors Forest Rd, Olney, MD 20832). Interment to follow.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Trinity Health At Home Hospice via donate.trinityhealthathome.org .