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Janet DeLain Stein was born on Jan. 18, 1935 in Greyville, Illinois, to Alvin and Faire Stein — keepers of a small farm and a service station in the little town of Crossville. Janet Pampe died of natural causes at 7 p.m. on March 12, 2025, surrounded by her three sons and daughter-in-law Carolyn at a care home in Billings, Montana. There is much to celebrate about the 90 years of her life in-between those two events.
Janet grew up with her sisters Ruthie and Mary Ellen in the small town of Crossville, Illinois, and was crowned Basketball Queen of her high school. She graduated high school in 1953 and then attended Murray State College in Kentucky. Along the way she was swept off of her feet by Richard (Dick) Pampe. They were married on June 3, 1958 and shortly thereafter moved to Rock Springs, Wyoming, for Dick’s job with Dowell. It was there that they put down roots and their three sons, Richard (1959), Mark (1962) and John (1968) were born. In 1973 the family moved to Powell, Wyoming, where Janet devoted herself to serve in the church, keep a home with Dick and raise her three boys.
She somehow managed to get all three boys to survive childhood, achieve Eagle Scout, graduate from Powell High School, survive teenage years, graduate from the University of Wyoming, grow up and get married — not necessarily in that order.
Eventually, time did what time does and Dick and Janet were both residents of a care facility in Billings, Montana. It was there, with her three sons, where she lost her husband of 57 years in 2016. And it was there, again with her three sons, where she went to join him in 2025.
Janet is survived by her sister Ruthie, sons Richard (wife Jill and children Nick and Cole), Mark (wife Robbie and children Jason and Ajay) and John (wife Carolyn and children Kyle and Nicole), six great-grandchildren, nephew Brad, niece Kandi and other extended family.
Services will be held at 10 on Saturday morning, April 5 at the United Church of Powell (Union Presbyterian Church) in Powell, Wyoming.
"When I stand before God at the end of my life, I want to know that I gave every part of myself to those I loved; that I nurtured, taught, and cared with every ounce of patience and grace that God gave me; that I shared kindness and trust with everyone I knew; and that through his gift of motherhood I made a lasting difference in the lives of my children."
