01/19/2026
Janis Sue Enarson, (Susie), was born June 27, 1940, to Arvin and Esther (Howard) Hedstrom in a Montgomery County farmhouse northeast of Villisca, Iowa. She entered into rest on January 14, 2026, at Eiler Senior Living in Clarinda, Iowa.
Susie spent her early years living on farms in Montgomery and Page Counties and attending country school, including years as a student in a multi-grade classroom with her mother Esther as teacher. Being the teacher’s child didn’t earn Susie any special favors, just set the bar higher for her. Often assignments were delegated to her to help other students who were falling behind. This early experience and an interest in learning new things lead to an enduring passion of teaching others, not as a profession, but as a natural instinct. Nothing made Susie happier than teaching children, whether as a confirmation mentor, school volunteer, neighbor, family friend, mother, grandmother, or aunt. Many who learned from her will remember the learning aids in her kitchen (US and world maps and lists of US presidents and books of the Bible), cooking lessons, science experiments, tea party etiquette, and the many books she read from or shared.
A lifelong interest in music, particularly vocal music, developed in her Villisca high school days. Her vocal music participation extended to the United Methodist Church choir, where she met and fell in love with Tom Enarson, whom she married on June 29,1958. Susie had attended Northwest Missouri State University for a term before marriage but always said she “just wanted to get married and have babies.” And so, Karl was born in June 1959, followed by Bill in June 1960, and Kristin in November 1961.
Susie energetically supported her kids’ activities, in attendance and leadership. As a grandmother, she was just as involved and didn’t mind traveling to do it. As her children grew older, she added community service to her schedule, while working full-time for a variety of businesses in Villisca. Volunteer activities included: 12 years as the first female mayor of Villisca; terms as a member and president of the Villisca School Board; co-founder of Villisca Heritage Days; founding member and multiple leadership roles in Villisca Alumni & Friends Association; trustee of the Villisca Public Library; and state appointments and leadership roles for the Iowa Municipalities Workers Compensation Association, and the Iowa Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations, among other activities. She loved helping her community grow and improve. A highlight of Susie’s life was being inducted into the Villisca Alumni Hall of Fame in 2013. It was the best honor she could receive. Her love of Villisca remained strong, as she continued to promote the town daily to her friends at Eiler Senior Living in Clarinda in word and in her clothing choices—so many Villisca Bluejay shirts! Last March she was surprised and thrilled when the Eiler weekly Iowa History activity focused on Villisca’s history and honored her role as mayor and her other volunteer activities.
Susie’s energy, positivity, and interest in others drove her engagement with people she met throughout her life. For years Susie and Tom were mainstays at Villisca school, 4-H, and Methodist Church youth activities, even if they didn’t have children or grandchildren in the activity.
She was always up for a new experience, travel, or spontaneous fun with friends. She traveled to Greece, Turkey, England, Ireland, Scotland, Sweden, and Norway with her friends in her 60s. And she enjoyed suggesting costume days with her coffee group at TJ’s Cafe in Villisca, even getting the men to participate . . . sometimes. She was a born leader.
Susie and Tom were married just short of 67 years. As lifelong Villisca residents, they were Villisca through and through and were proud to call it home. They will forever be Bluejays.
Susie was preceded in death by her husband, parents, sister Mary Lou Albertson and husband Jim, brother Harold Hedstrom and wife Sandy, sisters-in-law Karen Ginger and Elaine Gillespie, and grandson Scott Enarson. She is survived by children Karl Enarson, Longmont, CO; Bill (Sarah) Enarson, Villisca, IA; and Kristin (Brett) Crouse, Iowa City, IA. Grandchildren: Andrew Enarson, Ankeny, IA; Dillon Enarson, Yukon, OK; Ben Crouse and partner Rachel Lo, Los Angeles, CA; Julia Crouse, Asheville, NC; Bethany (Jacob) Muller, Clarinda, IA; Ryan (Alaina) Honkomp, Altoona, IA; Kendi Graham, Cedar Falls, IA; Josie Enarson, Longmont, CO; and great grandchildren Josiah Mondragon-Miller and Isaiah Enarson, Firestone, CO; Brynn and Brie Muller, Clarinda, IA; and Kylo and Addi Honkomp, Altoona, IA. She is also survived by brothers-in-law Gary Gillespie, Coralville, IA, and Ed Ginger, Northbrook, IL, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
A celebration of life service will be held 10 AM Saturday, February 14, 2026, at the Villisca United Methodist Church. Burial will be in the Arlington Cemetery. Visitation with the family will be held from 4-6 PM Friday, February 13, 2026, at the Villisca United Methodist Church. The family suggests memorials to the Villisca United Methodist Church, the Villisca Public Library, or Villisca Alumni and Friends Association
LeRette Funeral Chapel of Red Oak, Iowa, is in charge of arrangements.
