Martha “Jannett” Wattenbarger, 93, of St. Joseph, Missouri, passed away peacefully on Sunday, July 19, 2026.

Born on September 21, 1932, in Nodaway, Iowa, Jannett was the daughter of Roy Everett Landrus of Leavenworth, Indiana, and Eunice Pearl (Howard) Landrus of Nodaway, Iowa.

On September 24, 1948, she married her beloved husband, Charles Robert Wattenbarger. Their 63 years together were filled with devotion, hard work, and the joy of raising a family.

For 24 years, Jannett served as a school bus driver for Laidlaw, retiring in 1995. She was known for her kindness, reliability, and genuine care for the students she transported. She led the Bus Safety Program with Buster Bus and partnered with programs such as Safety Town to teach young children the importance of safety. Her bus riders held a special place in her heart—each Christmas she crafted hand‑painted ornaments for every student, and every summer she sent them off with popsicles on the last day of school.

Jannett also served her community as PTA President at Humboldt Elementary School and as PTA Council Secretary for St. Joseph.

A gifted artist, she took great pride in sketching portraits of her grandchildren, capturing their personalities with love and detail.

Jannett’s faith was the foundation of her life. She loved Jesus deeply and passed that love on to her children, grandchildren, and great‑grandchildren. She served as Vacation Bible School Director and Sunday School Superintendent at St. Paul United Methodist Church. Her faith was unwavering, and her prayers were powerful.

Above all, Jannett cherished her family. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great‑grandmother whose love, strength, and guidance will continue to shape the lives of those she leaves behind.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Charles; her daughter, Susan Fisher; her great-grandson, Storm Huey; her brothers, Jim, Ronnie and Fred Landrus; and her sister, Helen Hodges.

She is survived by her children: Connie (Fred) Hangartner, Karen Harden, Robert (Debbie) Wattenbarger, and Lisa (Tim) Wilcoxson.

Her grandchildren include: Janell (Rick) Chaffee, Dwight (April) Hangartner, Chad (Melissa) Hangartner, Katherine (Brandon) Scaife, Amy Harden, Joshua Harden, Ryan White, Brandi (Greg) Kuhlmann, Abbie Wattenbarger, Chloe Wattenbarger, Brian (Jessi) Huey, Tyler (Katie) Martin, Aubrey (Aaron) Dunn, Ashley (Kylynn) Sisk, Bailey (Saxton) Thuston, and Riley Wilcoxson.

She was blessed with many great‑grandchildren who brought her endless joy. Her legacy of love, resilience, and faith will be treasured for generations.

Visitation will be held Sunday from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Heaton‑Bowman‑Smith & Sidenfaden Chapel in St. Joseph, Missouri. Funeral services will follow on Monday, July 27, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. at the same location.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Paul United Methodist Church.

Jannett will be deeply missed, but her memory will remain forever in the hearts of all who knew and loved her.

The family would like to thank the caregivers at Vintage Gardens Memory Care Unit for the compassionate care they provided to their mother. Jannett cared for and prayed for each of them, whom she lovingly considered “her kids.”