Janet Kay (DeSpain) Merz was born on March 22, 1955 in El Reno, OK to William (Dub) and Marybell Despain. She passed away on May 23, 2024 in Angel Fire, NM at the age of 69.

Janet graduated from Hinton High School, where she lived her entire childhood on the family farm. Janet's love for the outdoors began early as she raised and showed sheep, practiced basketball on a dirt court and enjoyed swimming. She worked as a waitress at Nickerson Farms and attended college at West Texas A&M and Southwestern Oklahoma State University where she met husband, Brian. Brian and Janet were married on June 1, 1978 and made their home in Canute, OK where they together owned a restaurant and farmed cotton. Later, they made their home in Elk City, OK with sons, Kelby and Jared. Janet helped Brian run Pioneer Oilfield Services and continued farming and ranching. She was a member of the St. Matthew Catholic Church. Janet had a love for the outdoors, fishing, hosting and cooking for friends and family checking cattle and spending time with her granddaughters. Janet had a servant's heart for hosting and making everyone feel at home.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Dub DeSpain and Marybell DeSpain, son Brandon Merz, grandparents, Ben and Sophie Quigley, parents-in-laws Raymond and Bernardine Merz, brother Terry DeSpain and brother-in-law Danny Merz.

Survivors include: husband, Brian Merz, her children, Kelby Merz and wife Kelsey of Elk City, OK and Jared Merz and wife Raven of Oklahoma City, OK, her granddaughters, Emory and Blair of Elk City, OK and Austin of Oklahoma City, OK, her brother, Larry DeSpain of Hinton, OK, her siblings-in-law, Brenda Greteman and husband Doyle of Lindsay, OK, Guy Merz and wife Mary of Glendale, AZ, Sonja Davis and husband Dennis of Moore, OK as well as many other nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

Memorial donations can be made to the St. Matthew Food Bank, 3001 E Highway 66, Elk City, OK 73644 or St Jude's Children's Hospital, 501 St Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.