Janis Page

Janis Means Page, of Cedar Park, TX, passed away on September 30, 2025 at the age of 84. She was born on August 16, 1941 in Dallas, TX, to parents Winston Addison Means and Emily Countess Means
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Growing up, Janis, her parents, and younger brother, Stephen Countess Means, lived in Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio, with most of Janis's childhood in San Antonio. Her best childhood friend and neighbor there was Marie Leopold and the two girls spent countless hours together.
Janis graduated from Alamo Heights High School in Alamo Heights, TX. There she participated in color guard. Marie had a little MG, where Janis and Marie stashed all their books in lieu of a school locker. Janis sewed many of her own clothes, including several prom dresses. Other best friends included Martha Green and Betje Klier. They enjoyed Coca-Cola parties and adored Elvis. Post high school, Janis attended Texas State University and received secretarial training.
When she was16, Janis met Robert ("Bob") Craddock Page on a blind double date baseball game. Bob was actually Betje's date for the ball game! Bob and Janis were married in 1960 and began their long and happy life together in San Antonio. Janis worked in her first job there as a secretary. Marie (Leopold) and Ben McPherson were among their closest friends.
Soon, Bob was offered a job in New York, so Janis and Bob moved to Manhattan to start chapter two. Janis enjoyed working as a switchboard operator in Rockefeller Center and window shopping at Saks on her lunch break. Bob and Janis had a small dog named Andrew who chewed up all their rugs in their Manhattan apartment. Two of their very good friends in New York were Bill and Joanie Bennett, with whom they later enjoyed good times with both their young families.
In 1969, Janis and Bob moved to Ossining, NY. They lived in a white house with a red door at 1 Shady Lane. Janis stayed at home with daughters Sally (born in 1969) and Suzanne (1970).
In 1974, just before the birth their third daughter, Melinda, Janis and Bob moved to Somers, NY, to their new family home, where they would live until 1993. The colonial 2-story house was situated on a big yard and woods, surrounded by raspberry bushes and a show of maple trees. Janis and Bob raised their girls with great delight, so that they enjoyed the experiences of a happy childhood. Janis volunteered many times as a classroom mother, drove in carpools to dancing school, music lessons, art lessons and Brownies, and she put on the best kid birthday parties, incorporating prizes for games like "who can stand on one foot the longest". Janis played jump rope with her girls and the neighborhood friends every day during the summer so that they actually got good. She taught them how to play jax and assembled a full set of dress-up clothes, all purchased from the church rummage sale. She made Halloween costumes, helped with school plays and projects, and made dinner for the family most nights. She made excellent casseroles. Each night after dinner, Janis and Bob shared their days' adventures with each other.
Janis built and maintained a long kidney-shaped garden along the length of the home's driveway, and that is where you could find her most every warm day. Her garden was spectacular, with roses, lilies, peonies, strawberries, lilacs, and more. She also created a rock garden in the woods, where she planted shade ferns, snow lilies, and bleeding hearts. Crocuses poked up in the spring. She planted a giant field of daffodils on the side yard, and tulips in the front yard.
Janis made long-lasting friends with Jackie Ringer, and with neighbors, especially Connie and Graham Leftwich who lived next door, and Barbara and David Karron, down the street.
During these family years, Janis volunteered as a Sunday school teacher at First Presbyterian Church in Katonah, NY. This church community was an important part of her life for many years. She served as a deacon several times and even volunteered as the church's treasurer for a year. Janis also joined an organization called P.E.O., a philanthropical educational organization for women, which she cherished. There, Janis made many wonderful friends, and served as the local chapter President 3 times, and multiple other offices. Janis's daughter, Sally, became a member of Janis's Yorktown, NY chapter of P.E.O, and later, the two of them transferred to the same chapter in Austin, TX, where they both participated together actively, enjoying their time together in P.E.O.
In the 1980's Janis went back to the professional workplace as the Executive Assistant for the legal team at Reader's Digest in Pleasantville, NY. Janis greatly enjoyed her job there for many years and earned accolades for her excellent work. Later, Janis worked as the Executive Assistant to Margaret Scarborough of Scarborough's Department Store in Austin.
In 1993, Janis and Bob, along with their daughter, Melinda, moved to Austin, TX. Sally and her husband had recently married there. Before long, Suzanne and her husband also moved to Austin, TX. The family had many lovely gatherings and holidays in their new family home in Austin. The family spread out a little when Melinda moved to California, then married, but they all remained in close contact with many visits over the years. A highlight for the family was two family trips to the Mexican Riviera.
Janis loved being a grandmother to her and Bob's 7 grandchildren. She took them exploring in the big creek behind their home, read books, played lots of silly games with them, and served them powdered donuts for breakfast. Their time with their "Grandmommy", "Gummy", "Grandma Janis" was very fun for the grandkids.
Janis is predeceased by her husband, Robert C. Page (February 9, 2017), her father, Winston Means (1989), and mother, Emily Means (2021). She is survived by her daughters: Sally Page Cripe and her husband David Cripe, Suzanne Page King and her husband Don King, and Melinda Anne Samuels and her husband, Adam Samuels; her grandchildren Jacob Cripe, Dana Cripe, Abigail King, Griffin King, Eleanor King, Max Samuels, and Jack Samuels, and her brother Stephen Countess Means and his partner Patrick Rous.
A Celebration of Life for Janis Means Page will be held at North Belton Cemetery, in Belton, TX on November 8, 2025 at 12:00. Beck Funeral Homes will oversee the arrangements and Pastor John Aleman will officiate.