Janet was born in Adelaide, South Australia, a daughter of industrialist Alfred Allen Simpson and grew up in the family mansion "Undelcarra" on Lockwood Road, Burnside.
On 4 July 1939, at the Adelaide Unitarian Christian Church, Wakefield Street,[1] Janet Simpson married Lieut.
[3] Under the leadership of such women it became a powerful advocate for those whose husbands were lost as a result of their service in the Australian military forces, and was from 1948 known as the War Widows Guild of Australia.
[5] She was appointed an Officer (Civil) in the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1967 New Year Honours list for her work as National President, War Widows' Guild of Australia.
She was appointed a Commander (Civil) in the Order of the British Empire (CBE) on 31 December 1976, for community service.