Janice Marie Baalman

Janice was born May 4, 1939, to Walter Cass and Irene Hebert Cass in Oakley, KS. She graduated from Oakley High School with the Class of 1957. After she graduated, she briefly attended flight attendant school in Omaha, NE. She married Gary Baalman in Oakley, January 11, 1958.
Janice was a phenomenal loving wife, mother, and friend. Her family always came first; her various dogs a close second. Cooking, gardening, sewing, and painting were a few her many talents. Janice carefully decorated, cared for, and had a lot of pride in her home. Everything always had it s place. Janice was a genius at organizing. She always desired for her home to be ready for an unexpected visitor and you would never find a speck of dust. Her creativity will live well into the future through her scrapbooks, quilts, and genealogical projects.
Janice was beautiful inside and out. She was always up for a for a shopping trip. Many would call her a fashion trendsetter and Janice always looked amazing. It was important to her to be buttoned up and looking her best. Janice s class and elegance stemmed from her desire for everything to match and compliment.
Throughout her life she loved creativity and movement. Janice loved to dance and golf. Gary and Janice were very elegant and fun dancers. If they ever went to a wedding they were always on the floor for the majority of the night. She was a social butterfly and loved a good party. She was always on the go and couldn t sit still for long. Janice s fun, playful, social nature is how she built her enormous circle of friends. She was a competitive card shark. Janice was always up for a good card game. She loved to play bridge. Gary and Janice for many decades belonged to a monthly bridge club. The legacy of playing games will live on through the generations of Baalmans.
Janice was adventurous and adored traveling. She traveled with Gary throughout her life and if he didn t cooperate she would go without him. She wasn t afraid of new countries and cultures and was endlessly curious. There was nothing Janice liked better than an interesting conversation with a friend. Janice never met a stranger. She would introduce herself and start engaging conversations routinely with total strangers. By the end, Janice would have found some common ground and exchanged contact details. She was curious about everything and everyone. This is how Janice lived her life. She was a member of the local ladies Red Hat Society and joined in many outings filled with friendship, love, and laughter. One of Janice s passions was the Long Term Care and being a beacon of positive companionship for others.
A faithful friend of the World War II 5th Bombardment Group (H) survivors, she attended many of their reunions all over the country. Her love for the 5th Bombardment Group (H) veterans stemmed from the fact that her uncle Major Gerald Cass was a pilot with the group. Major Cass is missing in action.
Later in life after recovering from alcohol addiction, Janice s faith in Jesus grew into devotion and truly became the center of her life. She had a servant s heart. Her journey through Alchoholics Anonymous (A.A.) changed her life and fueled her to be a woman for others. There are numerous people that she took under her wing and truly changed their lives. Janice found her gifts and channeled them to mentor others through drug and alcohol addiction. Janice was always helping other people. The Serenity Prayer was special to her and the slogans of A.A. & Al-Anon would often be her advice. Those who knew her knew: Let Go and Let God, Easy Does It, Live and Let Live, First Things First, and One Day at a Time.
Janice and Gary have been life members of either St. Martin s or St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church. In Seguin, she taught CCD classes and was a member of the St. Ann s and St. Frances Cabrini Sodalities. She was active in the Catholic Church s Renew and Marriage Encounter programs, and served her parish as a Eucharistic Minister.
Janice and Gary had a deep lifelong romance. Their marriage was based on a collaborative and caring friendship. They celebrated their 64th anniversary this year.
Janice had a strong faith and she had no fear in dying. She anxiously awaited going home to see the Lord Jesus. She died August 26, 2022.
She is survived by husband, Gary of Hoxie, KS; children Brian and wife Sheri of Menlo, KS; Gwen and husband Todd Dobbs of Flagstaff, AZ; Andrea Taylor and Michael Berger of Denver, CO. Janice is also survived by eight grandchildren, who were the delight of her life: Cass (Alicia) Baalman, Coby (Megan) Baalman, Hannah Dobbs, Tyler (Courtney) Dobbs, Kate Ostmeyer, Will Taylor, Luke Taylor, and Nora Taylor; and seven great grandchildren under the age of eight: Arabella, Harper, Daisy, Laken, Bonnie, Ryder, and Tucker.
A Mass of Christian Burial is planned for Tuesday, August 30, 2022, 10:30 A.M., at the St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church, Hoxie, Kansas. Visitation will be held Monday, August 29, 2022 at the Mickey-Leopold Funeral Home from 4:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. with family receiving friends from 5:30 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. The Vigil and Rosary Service be held at 7:00 P.M. following the visitation. Memorials are suggested to Sheridan County Benefit Walk or St. Frances Cabrini Grotto and Shrine Project. Memorials may be sent in care of Mickey-Leopold Funeral Home, PO Box 987, Hoxie, Kansas 67740.