Janis Jennings Hansen

Janis Gail Eicher Jennings Hansen, 62, of Waterloo, was born on August 1, 1948 in Bloomington, IL, the daughter of Junior “Pat� and Romaine Anderson Eicher. She graduated from Northeast High School in Lincoln, NE in 1966. She married Michael Jennings and they later divorced. On April 4, 1997, Janis married the love of her life, Tom Hansen, at the Botanical Center in Des Moines after they were introduced by Denny and Cheri Stoneman in 1994. Janis had a zest for life and an engaging personality. She could light up a room simply by her presence. She enjoyed traveling, snow skiing, the outdoors and shopping. She collected angels and loved country dancing. Janis was a member of Beta Sigma Phi Social Sorority Xi Omega Chapter where she had served as vice-president. She had served as president of Junior League and as a band booster at West High School. Janis worked as an office assistant for the Al Smith State Farm agency for the past 11 years. Previously, she had sold jewelry in Des Moines and Waterloo. Janis’ passion was her family and those around her. Janis died on Wednesday, September 15, 2010 of pancreatic cancer while a patient at the Cedar Valley Hospice Home. She was preceded in death by her father, J. P. Eicher and a brother-in-law, Jerry Hansen. Janis is survived by her husband, Tom, of Waterloo; 2 sons, Brian (Elise) Jennings, and their daughter, Rainy, of Thornton, CO and Matthew (Erika) Jennings, and their sons, Matthew and Jack, of Big Sky, MT; 2 daughters, Jennifer (Jason) Dixon of Fairbank, IA and Danielle Fox of Waterloo; her mother, Romaine Eicher of Lincoln, NE; 3 brothers, Robert (Karen) Eicher of Glenwood City, WI, Roger Eicher of Los Angeles, and Thomas (Joyce) Eicher of Denton, NE; a sister, Connie (Bill) Crook of Lincoln, NE; 2 sisters-in-law, Shelley Hansen of Cedar Falls and Janis Hansen of Waterloo; a brother-in-law, Paul Bliss of Oxnard, CA, and many nieces, nephews and cousins. Janis was loved by her entire family and will be deeply missed. As a show of sympathy, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to the Cedar Valley Hospice.