Janette Adasiak
Jan 30, 1945 -
Apr 15, 2025
Janette "Jan" Peterson Adasiak died on April 15, 2025, in Tacoma, Wash. She was 80 years old.
Jan was born in Hemet, Calif., to Morris B. Peterson and Monique (Ryan) Peterson. She graduated from Hemet High School and attended the University of California, Berkeley, where she met her husband, Allan Adasiak, in the Glee Club. They married in May 1964, and shortly thereafter packed their Volvo and drove the Alcan Highway to Alaska.
Jan received her nursing degree from the University of Alaska Anchorage and soon returned to earn her master's degree. She became one of the first psychiatric nurse practitioners in the state, later mentoring several younger nurse practitioners entering the profession. Jan served clients at Southcentral Counseling Center and Southcentral Foundation for three decades.
Jan loved music and the arts. She sang in the Anchorage Concert Chorus when she first arrived in Alaska, and later with the Central Lutheran Church choir for 30 years. She loved listening to Saturday Night at the Opera on KLEF and attending Anchorage Opera performances, and she volunteered several seasons with Ushering in the Arts. An expert quilter, Jan made quilts for many friends and family. Her artistry also manifested in the kitchen, where she cooked recipes from around the world, specialty soups and delicious baked goodies. She had an uncanny knack for improvising something delicious out of whatever was left in the refrigerator.
Jan loved reading, learning and engaging with others in thoughtful conversations. She was lucky to travel to Europe several times as well as to great cities in the U.S. to enjoy art museums, theater productions and symphonies. Jan cared about her community; she participated with Anchorage Faith in Action and the cold weather shelter at Central Lutheran. Most of all, Jan loved being with family, especially with her grandkids, and celebrating their adventures and accomplishments.
Jan was preceded in death by her parents and her husband. She is survived by her daughter, Anne Adasiak-Andrew (Tim) of Tacoma; grandchildren, Juliana and Eric; son, Paul Adasiak (Laura) of Fairbanks; grandchildren, Ezra and Josie; and siblings, Bob Peterson of San Marcos, Calif., and Karen Brown of Sacramento, Calif. A memorial gathering and reception are planned for May 30, 2025, at 4 p.m., at Central Lutheran Church, 1420 Cordova Street.
The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, those wishing to express sympathy make a donation in Jan's name to the Alzheimer's Resource Center of Alaska.
