Janell Clare Armstrong

Janell Clare Armstrong, 84, of Sioux City, IA, died Sunday, August 9, 2026. Services will be at 11:00am, Monday, August 17, 2026, at Restoration Church, 4310 Old Lakeport Rd, with a visitation 1 hour prior.

Janell was born on March 14, 1942, on a farm in Willis, NE, the daughter of Howard and Ann (McCarthy) Daws. She spent her first years of elementary school in a small, one-room schoolhouse that was lit only with an oil lamp. She then went to St. Michael’s in Leeds for her last two years of grade school. Janell graduated from Bishop Heelan Catholic High School in 1960.

After high school, Janell was hired as a nurse's aide at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Sioux City. She went to nursing school for one year but ultimately decided it was not her cup of tea. She then worked as a telephone operator for a couple of years, before deciding that also was not what she was being called to do. In 1966, she went to school at National Business Tech and became an executive secretary for several years, until she decided to change careers once again. In 1972, Janell joined the police academy and became the first Policewoman in Sioux City history. Although she faced many hardships and had to fight for the respect of her peers within the department, Janell spent the following 25 years serving the Sioux City community with honor. Around the same time, she became a financial planner for Waddell & Reed so that she and her colleagues would be ready for retirement.

In 2015, Janell published her autobiography, Patrolling the Darkness, which is the story of how faith guided her through her journey as the first female police officer in Sioux City. She was also the recipient of Sioux City's prestigious Women of Excellence award. Paul & Janell both spent many years volunteering for Step up to Life, a ministry started by Dr. Elmer Murdoch and Nancy of Omaha, NE. This ministry is reaching people all over the world.

Janell married Jerry Rager in 1961 and had two sons, Greg and Glenn. The couple later divorced. Janell married Paul Armstrong on May 2, 1975, in Omaha, NE. Paul's kids, LuAnn, Brad, and Don, joined their new family. Later, they had a daughter, Shirley. Janell spent most of her life in Sioux City, but after retiring, she moved with Paul in 2001 to Omaha, NE, where she spent her retirement years until 2022 when she and Paul moved back to Sioux City.

Janell was an avid reader and loved mystery and nonfiction books. As a child she enjoyed going to church on Sundays followed by family dinner at their home or Aunt Jane & Uncle Ralph's house. She loved dancing and going to dances. She devoted much time to reading the Bible, going to church, and, of course, leading Bible studies. She started the first Bible study at the Sioux City police department.

Janell enjoyed her family and spending time with her children, her grandchildren, and her great-grandchildren. She loved going on walks with her friends. She even enjoyed “sick, lame, & lazy” coffee on Friday mornings with her police friends. Some of her favorite things were Jesus, airplanes, lighthouses, and gardening.

Survivors include her sons; Greg Rager and Glenn (Kari) Rager; daughter, Shirley Armstrong; stepsons, Brad (Beth) Armstrong, and Don (Kammy) Armstrong; 18 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; and 1 great-great-grandchild.

She was preceded in death by her parents; first husband, Jerry Rager; second husband, Paul Armstrong; stepdaughter, LuAnn Nichols; and her son-in-law, Rick Nichols.