Janet Wiggins

Janet Wiggins was born on May 30, 1933 in Appleton Wisconsin, the first of three children born to Lillian and James Mackesy. Following Janet’s graduation from Appleton High School in 1951, she attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio where she met and married Robert Allen Heintzelman. As the family grew with the arrivals of son Kirby and daughters Robin and Jenifer, Janet continued her studies in teaching. She earned an undergraduate degree at Lake Erie College in Painesville, Ohio in 1965. 

In 1968, after relocating with the children to Shaker Heights, Ohio, Janet began her professional career as a teacher in the Cleveland Municipal School District. Also that year, she married David N. Wiggins. The couple welcomed their only child, Wendy, in 1969.

Throughout her life and career, Janet was known as a joyful, mothering resource for teens and youth needing attention, guidance, or a safe place to stay. Her spirit matched both the optimism and activism of the times as Janet encouraged her own children and those around her to excel. After 21 years working at a level that often surpassed Cleveland Municipal School District requirements, she retired in 1989.

A natural educator, Janet then found an outlet through painting, sewing, quilting, and other arts and crafts that showcased her own creative talents. In her later years, her lifelong intellectual curiosity led to an enjoyment of audiobook mysteries, the Travel Channel and challenging crossword puzzles that she completed in ink.

Following a brief illness, Janet passed away on October 20, 2016. Her brother James Mackesy, husband David Wiggins, and granddaughter Chelsea Gross preceded her in death. 

Janet leaves to cherish her memory her beloved children Kirby Heintzelman (Laura DiAngelo), Robin Collins (James), Jenifer Arbogast (Kevin) and Wendy Bellamy (Spencer); grandchildren Stephanie Heintzelman, Christopher Gross and Spencer B. Bellamy; great-grandson Ezra Gross (Kristin); sister Joan Mackesy Dorschner; sister-in-law Carey Mackesy; and nieces Heidi Dorschner Lilla, Sean Mackesy, Catlin Mackesy-Davis and Davin Mackesy.

The family will hold private memorial services and requests in lieu of flowers donations in Janet’s memory to any accredited non-profit organization working to meet the needs of children.