DIMMICK TOWNSHIP — Janis Reese Zukowski, 74, of Dimmick Township, rural LaSalle, while surrounded by members of her loving family, died Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012, following a nearly 10-year battle with Alzheimer's disease.

Jan was born July 31, 1938, in Orange, N.J., the daughter of Earl and Mildred (Lebo) Ewald. Her father's occupation resulted in her living in several cities, eventually locating in Normal, Ill. It was there, while attending a summer school class at Illinois State Normal University, that she met her husband-to-be, Don Zukowski.

Jan will be remembered for her 18 years as a waitress at Peru's former Red Door Inn restaurant, where she worked her way from a beginning waitress, to a senior waitress, who also trained and hired waitress staff. Now, some years later, she and a number of her waitress trainees and other Red Door associates, remained dear friends … meeting periodically as "The Red Door Girls" and The Birthday Girls."