SPITZENBERGER

Funeral services for Jan Spitzenberger, 70, of Plano, Texas, were held at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 4, 2021, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Giddings, Texas. Rev. Steve Wagner, formerly of Jan’s church, Prince of Peace Lutheran, officiated. A private family committal service was held in the Giddings City Cemetery on Monday, July 5, 2021.

Janice Claire (Dixon) Spitzenberger was born on September 14, 1950, in Giddings, Texas, the daughter of James Westbrook Dixon and Bernice Beatrice (Winkler) Dixon. She was baptized on October 1, 1950, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Giddings by Rev. Max Studtmann and confirmed on March 22, 1964, also at Immanuel Lutheran Church.

Her confirmation verse was Isaiah 41:10: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Jan graduated from Giddings High School in 1968 and received her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Sam Houston State University in 1971. On August 8, 1971, she was united in marriage to Donald John Spitzenberger, also from Giddings, at Immanuel Lutheran Church by her uncle Rev. Kenneth Studtmann.

In addition to her volunteer work with Girl and Boy Scouts as well as PTA, Jan was a longtime educator through private and public schools, church youth groups, Sunday school, Bible Study Fellowship, and Vacation Bible School, inspiring kids and teens across Columbus, Katy, and Plano, Texas.

She retired from teaching in 2015 and split her time between Plano and Clifton, Texas, a small town where she, Don, their kids, grandkids, faithful, freckled dog Rose, and many assorted house guests would enjoy morning coffee and sunset wine on their back porch, taking in the Hill Country view.

She courageously battled diseases of both the lungs and brain for many years, but fought until the very end, enjoying outings—from family weddings to winery tours, from a charity luau in Clifton, an art exhibit in Dallas, and a rustic campout in Mineral Wells to Thanksgiving break in New Orleans and an Easter potluck in Giddings—right up until her final hospital stay this June. Jan passed away surrounded by her family during the early morning of Thursday, July 1, 2021 at her home in Plano.

She was preceded in death by her parents James and Bernice Dixon.

Jan is survived by her husband of nearly 50 years, Don Spitzenberger of Plano; her two children, Amy Perry and her husband Kenon of Clifton, Texas, and Marc Spitzenberger and his wife Julie of Plano; three grandchildren, Anna Spitzenberger, Joseph Spitzenberger, and Ogden Perry; her brother Marc Dixon and his wife Roma of Hideaway, Texas; her sister Sarah Bremner and her husband Stuart of Palm Desert, California; three aunts, Jane Martens of Austin, Jimmye Burke of Laguna Beach, California, and Vernille Showalter of Liberty, Texas, as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends across the state and country.

Memorials may be made to the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML), an organization Jan was deeply involved with for decades.

Arrangements by Phillips and Luckey Funeral Home in Giddings.