Janelle L. Cooper

Janelle Lunette Cooper, age 69 of La Crescent, MN, passed away from heart failure and an arduous fight against cancer on Saturday, July 19th, 2025 at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center. She was born December 11, 1955 in Ann Arbor, MI to the late Robert and Madeline (Leonard) Cooper. Affectionately known as Doc, Doctor Cooper, Jan, GranJan, Coop, and Chief to name a few, she touched many lives over her tenure as a physician, neurologist, teacher, advocate, and friend.

She attended Reed College and graduated in 1978 with a BA in Chemistry and Russian studies. In 1982, she and her family relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, where she obtained her medical degree from Vanderbilt School of Medicine (1986) and served her Internship and Residency at Vanderbilt University Hospital from 1986-1990. It was at Reed that she met her first wife and they started their family in Seattle, Washington, welcoming her children, Lena and Nicholas.

Janelle worked her way up the ranks beginning as a nurse’s aid and lab/medical technologist in Seattle, WA during her undergraduate studies. She continued working as a medical technologist in Tennessee while attending Vanderbilt University, then worked as an Emergency Room Physician at the Tennessee Christian Medical Center until 1989. While in TN, Janelle was involved in many community service organizations such as the National Coalition of Physicians Against Family Violence, Nashville Women’s Alliance, and the Rape and Sexual Abuse Center. She was also a board member and on the Reconciling Congregations Committee for Edgehill United Methodist Church.

Janelle’s career led her to take a position as a Clerkship Director, then Asst. Professor in Neurology at the Medical College of Pennsylvania from 1990-1992. Here, she was a delegate to the American Medical Women’s Association National Meeting. Returning to her hometown in 1992, she worked as neurologist for the Greater Ann Arbor Neurology Associates until 1995. Meanwhile, Janelle founded and served as the Director of Northern Neurosciences in Escanaba, MI, specializing in Alzheimer’s and memory care. During her time in Escanaba, she served in many roles, such as the Medical Director (Industrial Rehab. Program), the Director of Neurological Services, a Chairperson for the Dept. of Medicine (all at St. Francis Hospital), and the VP of the U.P. Neuro Association. During these years, her son, Nicholas, lived with her while serving in the Army National Guard. Nick’s emails and letters to Janelle during these years were treasured and saved. His depth and thoughtfulness were admired.

Her passion for research and special approach to treating patients with dementia led her to Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center (The Memory Clinic) in La Crosse, WI from 2008-2014. Her colleagues say Janelle was known for her “blend of brilliance, kindness, and sharp wit” which helped her care for her patients effectively. In 2015, after a devastating back injury, Janelle was forced to retire too early. Janelle’s love of nature led her to establish a certified organic garlic farm and apple orchard called Chicken Ridge Orchard in La Crescent, MN. There, she loved to care for her animals, especially her chickens and ducks. She loved all kinds of birds, all kinds of animals (especially sheep!). She also had a passion for native trees and took great care to plant native varieties across the property.

Janelle became a grandmother in 2004, through her daughter Lena. While separated by great distance, Janelle maintained a special relationship with Lena and her four children. Her grandchildren meant a great deal to her and Janelle was dedicated to providing for their future. Janelle also shared a special bond with Lena's husband, Joshua, who found Janelle's empathy and listening skills of tremendous comfort, as related to his own military career and trauma.

After a long life of giving of herself, unconditionally and whole-heartedly, she found a partner who gave that back in equal measure when she met her partner and later, wife, Kathleen Hanson. Her travels then expanded to Massachusetts, where she ultimately began to maintain two homes—living on her farm in La Crescent, and wintering in Massachusetts with Kathy. Together, they enjoyed visiting and building relationships at marine and art museums on the north east coast (especially, the New Bedford Whaling Museum). At her home in MN, she had a special bond with the people at the Minnesota Marine Art Museum who spoke highly of her. Janelle was a lover of art and avocations were to build model boats and ships, support area painters/sculptors, and collect crafts made by whalers long ago. 

Other passions include flying and owning her “Moonie-bird” plane. Janelle had a lifelong love of flying, stemming from her father’s work with NASA on the space shuttle. Her personal pilots license gave her great joy, from grand adventures to copiloting simple state line hopping with her daughter, as she learned to fly as well." Janelle also loved boating and sailing, being a rifle instructor and instructor of American History (Project Appleseed) where she first met Kyle Johnson (who became a special friend), avid game-playing with her friends on TribeNet (the gaming community Janelle says saved her life), and planting nearly a hundred trees across Wisconsin and at her farm in La Crescent.

She had many affiliations and achievements over her life, including being a Honorary Member of the Special Ops Association, a Life Patron of the Air Force Association, and serving on the Board of Directors for The Center/7 Rivers LGBTQ Connection in La Crosse. Janelle received the International Woman of the Year Award twice, the AMA Physician’s Recognition Award six times, a Service Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Rape and Sexual Abuse Center, and Citations in two notable articles for several consecutive years.

Janelle sailed through the strongest winds in life—graduating college and residency, becoming the-woman-she-was-always meant to be, teaching med students and joining practices in MI and a founding member of the Memory Center at Gundersen, tending her farm after several back surgeries, and ultimately battling cancer. She always turned her sails and kept leaning in. Always strong. Always beautiful. Always bold. Janelle’s braveness, wit, and generosity will never be forgotten by those she loved and those who loved her. Janelle would often refer to her father, “Desert Rat’s”, generous spirit as a guiding example in her life.

She is survived by her wife, Kathleen K. Hanson (whom she married on July 31, 2021 on the farm); her daughter, Lena (spouse Joshua) Cooper; her son, Nick (spouse Amber) Cooper; grandchildren, Jonah, Robert, Miriam, Theodore; her sisters, Anne Cooper and Patricia Cooper; Kathy’s family on the east coast: Stacey (Hanson) (spouse Brian) Pimentel and their children, Jacob and Honor; and Maria Pimentel; special friends like Jeff Johnson, Lynette Jagoda, Jennifer Deleveski, Ed Chapman, Matt Schultz, Dan Gibson, Julia Martyn, and Tommy Hall; and many, many more. She was preceded in death by her parents, and her beloved service dog, Jackie “the Rifledog” in 2019.

Funeral services will be held Friday, August 8, 2025 at 11:00am at South Ridge United Methodist Church, La Crescent. Visitation will be from 10:00am until the time of the service. Burial will follow at Hillcrest Cemetery (South Ridge UMC Cemetery).

Flowers are invited—especially red, purple, and pink. Memorial contributions may be given in lieu of flowers, in Janelle’s name to the Minnesota Marine Art Museum or to the New Bedford Whaling Museum (aka Old Dartmouth Historical Society).

The family would like to extend a special thanks to everyone who has prayed for Janelle, especially the prayer group at All Saints Episcopal Church in Chelmsford, MA, and her church family at South Ridge United Methodist Church in La Crescent, MN.