Janet Erwin — a former missionary, magazine editor for WMU and staff member of The Alabama Baptist — died April 26. She was 70.
Erwin, who grew up in the Decatur area, earned an associate of science degree in business administration from Calhoun Community College in Huntsville and a bachelor of science degree in business administration from Athens State University. She went on to graduate from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, with a master of Christian education degree.
The summer before her senior year of high school, she served at Shocco Springs Baptist Conference Center (known then as Shocco Springs Baptist Assembly) in Talladega and always credited that role as her entrance into the ministry world.
Erwin served as an International Mission Board missionary for 19 years — in the Bahamas, Barbados and Hollywood, Florida, with Caribbean Christian Publications and in Latvia in community outreach. She met her husband, Monte, during her early years in missions, and they served together as career missionaries after they married.
After her time overseas, Erwin worked as a fifth grade teacher and library assistant at Highland Park Elementary School in Stillwater, Oklahoma, for four years.
She then became editor of national Woman’s Missionary Union’s Missions Mosaic magazine and other WMU publications, a role she served in for more than 12 years. After that, she served two years with The Alabama Baptist and TAB Media Group, retiring at the end of 2020.
She served as an Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief volunteer for a few years and was an active member of Shades Crest Baptist Church in Hoover.
Erwin is survived by her husband; sons, Trey (Brenda) and Trent (Meagan); and two grandchildren.
Service details
A celebration of life service will be held at Shades Crest Baptist Church, 425 Park Avenue, Hoover, AL 35226 (Bluff Park area of Hoover) on Wednesday, April 30, at 2 p.m.
Family will greet friends at the church from 11:45 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.
The service also will be aired live on the church’s YouTube channel.
For more information, visit Erwin’s page at Southern Heritage Funeral Home.
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