August 19, 1939 – February 5, 2026
The family of Janet Dilley, better known as Jan or Grandma D, sadly announce her passing on February 5, 2026, at Covenant Living at Inverness in Tulsa, OK.
Jan was born in Alta, Iowa, and grew up on their family farm. She was an excellent athlete and with her height a prolific scorer on the high school basketball team, where she even was runner-up in the State free-throw shooting contest. She perfected her infamous hook-shot practicing outside on a rim mounted to their red barn, which she later used to win horse games against her own boys and grandsons.
After graduating from Alta High School, she accepted a job with Northwest Airlines in Minneapolis and began her college education. After a couple years of working and going to school, she moved to St. Cloud, MN where she attended St. Cloud State earning her business education degree. Jan always loved a good romance story, so after graduation, she married her college sweetheart, Norm, on August 1, 1964, who was by her side until her final days.
Jan and Norm moved to their first brand-new home in 1969, shortly after their first child was born. Jan was a loving mother, homemaker, seamstress, cook, and a crackerjack bookkeeper. The family home was in a very “Leave it to Beaver” style neighborhood where most of the mothers were home and very self-sufficient. She loved cooking at home and dragging her boys to the fabric store so she could sew homemade clothes, especially shirts and pajamas. There were many neighborhood card games, where the mothers gathered to play, eat and discuss children. An accomplished musician, Jan could play the piano, organ, and accordion, and she also played handbells for many years at the Lutheran Church. Once her boys were in school all day, Jan started her own bookkeeping firm, working for several law firms in Minneapolis. She never missed her boys’ sporting events or school activities and later attended as many events as possible for her grandchildren. Upon retirement, Jan and Norm fulfilled their lifelong dream of living summers at Leach Lake and being snowbirds in Florida. Due to health reasons, they moved to Tulsa in the Fall of 2023.
Jan was preceded in death by her parents, Arther E. and Pearl I. Peterson; her brother, Roger Peterson (DeAnne); and her beloved granddaughter, Megan Dilley.
She is survived by her husband, Norm Dilley; brothers Ronald Peterson (Jan) and Robert Peterson (Diane); sons Jim Dilley (Jennifer B.) and David Dilley (Jennifer S.); grandchildren Jad Dilley (Natalie), Jarrett Dilley, Matthew Dilley; great-grandson Baker Dilley; and a large group of extended family and friends.
A celebration of life is scheduled for Saturday, February 14, 2026, at Traditions Funeral Chapel, 35 S. Main, Kellyville at 11:00 AM. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests making contributions in memory of Jan (in honor of her granddaughter, Megan) to the Batten Disease Foundation, bdsrafoundation.org.
