Janet Oliver and John Birch

We start our journey with Janet [Oliver] and John Birch. Janet was born in 1923 in Cumberland, Maryland, where she spent her early years before going to college. She lived at first on Center Street in Cumberland above the family confectionery store and ice cream plant, then moved to LaVale, just west of the city, to a large home on the old National Highway. She never used her given name of Sophia, always going by the name of Janet Oliver.

She attended Iowa State College (now Iowa State University) starting in September of 1940 but left in 1944 when she married John. Later, she received her degree in social welfare from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and eventually became the director of Redeemer Lutheran Church Senior Center. She lived to be 61.

John was born in 1922 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His family moved several times while he was young, primarily residing in Shorewood and Fox Point, Wisconsin. He attended Iowa State College, and in 1942, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps, experiencing combat in the Pacific. John and Janet married while he was in the service; they were married for 41 years.

John returned to college, obtaining his civil engineering degree. He went on to work at several firms and became active in city and state government. He retired as partner of Birch-Grisa-Phillips, Inc. In 1993, John married Dolores [Mikuleky] Lang, residing in Arizona and Wisconsin. They were married up to John’s death at 90. To find out more about John, Janet, or Dolores, use the Search button in the menu. Remember, married women's information is under their maiden name.