Gosselin children lose beloved 'Nana Janet'

Janet Wiedenheimer, also known as "Nana Janet" to the Gosselin family, stars of the TLC hit reality show "Jon and Kate Plus 8" died on Oct. 28 at the age of 72. Funeral services for Widenheimer were held Oct. 31 in Pennsylvania.

Weidenheimer appeared in several early episodes of "Jon and Kate Plus 8," but was not seen in recently. She cared for the eight children voluntarily and at times even did simple chores such as fold laundry.

Perhaps the most notable episode featuring Nana Janet was the sextuplet's birthday party when she rode a pony. "Nana Janet, she is entertaining. She's 69, she's crazy -- she's really loud and fun," Kate said in the episode. She also added a plea for Nana Janet to not hurt herself while riding the horse because she needed her help with the children and refers to her as a "pseudo grandparent."



The death of a loved one affects a family greatly, but because she was such a big part of the Gosselin's lives, the death impacts anyone who is or was a fan of "Jon and Kate Plus 8." As sad as it is to post such news, it is important to make sure viewers and fans are aware of such a passing so they may offer condolences and thoughts to the family at this difficult time. This post reflects the traditional news value of audience because the show would most likely not have been the same without Nana Janet and Jon and Kate would have seemingly been much busier without her help.If Jon and Kate did not have her help, the show may have been drastically different.

"Rad and Bad Reality" would like to send condolences to both the Weidenheimer and Gosselin family. A guest book to leave messages for Nana Janet can be found here.