Jane (Janie) Wheeler Rowlett Ball, 76, of Olathe, KS, passed away peacefully on May 18th, 2026.
Janie was born on June 25th, 1949, in Lawrence, KS to Jack and Elizabeth Rowlett. Janie, along with her older brother Jack and younger brother Charlie, grew up in Paola, KS, which offered a tight-knit small-town childhood that she cherished.
Janie attended her undergraduate studies at the University of Kansas and graduated in 1971 with a degree in Education. While a sophomore at KU living in Naismith Hall, Janie met her best friend, Carol Garner. They remained very close and saw each other every single Tuesday for lunch and long chats for the past nearly 2 decades. Their friendship, laughter, and constant support of each other was a beautiful sight to see.
Janie and Chip Ball wed in 1974. They remained married, residing in Manhattan, KS until 1986. Their daughter Maggie was born in 1977, and their shared devotion to her kept them in contact until the end of her life. In Manhattan, Janie worked as a reading specialist at an elementary school, and later at Master Teacher, all while earning her Masters degree in Education.
In 1986, Janie and Maggie moved to Overland Park, KS. Janie worked as an elementary school principal (first at Boone Elementary and then at Valley Park Elementary) while earning her Doctorate in Education. Janie notoriously would strive to learn every kids’ name and greet them as they walked into school. Janie would endearingly reminisce about her time as a principal, mostly because of the relationships she formed with the kids and the staff. She had a soft spot for the kiddos who got in trouble, which epitomizes her kind and gentle character.
In her later years, the love in her heart was focused on her grandchildren (Lily and Cole), daughter (Maggie), son-in-law (Chris), and best friend (Carol). While her health issues over the years prevented her from attending many activities, she was always eager to hear every detail, and her face lit up every time her grandchildren would walk through the door. Her health journey, while difficult, illuminated her strength and tenacity to overcome countless difficult situations, and witnessing her strength was a gift.
Janie is survived by her brother Charlie Rowlett (Donna), daughter, Maggie Ball Unruh (Chris), granddaughter Lily Unruh (19) and grandson Cole Unruh (17). She was preceded in death by her father Jack Rowlett, her mother Elizabeth Rowlett and her brother Jack Rowlett II.
We will miss her dearly. We were blessed to have experienced her overall good naturedness, her spunky positive attitude, her non-judgmental perspective, her quiet confidence, and her endless, deep kindness for everyone.
A Celebration of Life service will be held at a later date, details TBD.
