Janice Williams

Janice Alene Williams, 76, went home to her Lord on July 14, 2024. After a long battle with cancer, she passed away in her Minden residence with support from Hospice and holding hands with her daughter Tricia Lyn Maldonado, son-in-law Matt Maldonado and her companion Richard Lembi Sr.
She was born Janice Alene Larson in Duluth, Minnesota on August 12,1947 to Carl Johan Larson and Lucille Ruth Larson. She is preceded in death by her younger sister Patricia Ann Larson. Janice graduated from Hermantown High School in 1965. She married her high school sweetheart, Barry Leo Williams, on July 15, 1967. Their son, Jay Barry Williams, was born in Duluth Minnesota in 1969.
In 1970 they moved to El Centro California when Barry pursued a career in federal law enforcement. Shortly thereafter, their daughter Tricia Lyn was born in 1972. Realizing the weather was too hot in Southern California Barry took a transfer to Salinas, Ca in 1973.
In the 1970's Jan enjoyed volunteering in her children's classrooms and chaperoning many of their school field trips. In the 1980's she became an Antique Dealer at the "Salinas Antique Guild", and later opened and partnered "Carmel Valley Antiques." Barry and Jan also started buying real estate in Salinas, CA, Tracy, CA, and Carson City, NV. They became landlords and her passion for real estate and business grew.
In 1997 after Barry retired from law enforcement, they both retired from the Antique business and moved to South Lake Tahoe, California. Jan enjoyed decorating her Tahoe home for Christmas and spending time with her grandchildren Jenna and Trevor Maldonado and Austin Williams. She loved having visitors throughout the years including Dave and Gloria Waisanen and Jan's niece Lori Larson. Family time was also cherished during numerous Thanksgiving and Easter meet ups with her father and mother-in-law Lloyd and Eleanor Williams and her brother-in-law Lloyd Williams Jr and sister-in-law Cheryl Finney and their families.
After Barry passed in 2007, she joined a hiking group in Tahoe and met many wonderful friends. She also took up cross country skiing. She loved playing yatzy and having a cocktail with her Tahoe and Minden neighbors. She met her companion Rich at a car show and the two began going on RV and cross-country trips with the Corvette Club. Jan's favorite trip was river boating in Hells Canyon.
Janice was musically inclined and loved playing the piano. She enjoyed listening to the oldies on her radio and her cousin Ray's accordion music. We will miss her tremendously. Jan is survived by her son, Jay of Reno, NV; her daughter Tricia (Matt) Maldonado of Salinas, CA; brother-in-law Lloyd E (Rosemary) Williams of Las Vegas, NV; sister-in-law Cheryl (William) Finney of Clearwater FL; grandchildren, Jenna Maldonado and Trevor Maldonado of Boise, ID, Austin Barry Williams of Reno, NV and numerous nephews, nieces and cousins.
Visitation will be held at 10am-12pm on Friday, July 26th at the Struve and Laporte Funeral Home 41 West San Luis Street Salinas, CA 93901. Services will be held at 12:00pm at Struve and Laporte Funeral Home and burial will take place at the Garden of Memories Cemetery. Reception to follow at the Salinas family home at 1141 Greenwood Pl Salinas CA 93901. Memorials: American Cancer Society