Janice Frances NELSON

1932 - 2019

NELSON, Janice Frances Janice Frances Nelson passed away April 11, 2019, from complications of a hip fracture. Janice was 87 years old. Jan, as she preferred to be called, was born on January 16, 1932, in Aberdeen, South Dakota to Walter and Eva Kirchgesler, the fourth of seven children. The family lived there for several years and then moved to the Pacific Northwest. They lived for a time in Gold Hill, Oregon, and also Seattle. The family settled in Newport, Washington, where Jan graduated from high school in 1949. She met and married DeWayne Nelson in 1953. They lived on Idaho Hill for a brief time then bought property on the Priest River (Idaho) where they made their home. They had one daughter, Sally Jo. Jan taught kindergarten for 7-1/2 years out of the home. At this time there was no public kindergarten in the school system. She absolutely adored the little children and taught two classes per day, making up her own lessons and activities for the kids. Early on, Jan became a member of the Priest River Volunteer Library Club. An avid reader, she loved books and enjoyed the various library club duties and the friends that she made through this involvement. Jan also had a creative talent and was an excellent seamstress and also did crafting and knitting, which she continued into her later years. All who knew her admired her crafting projects. Another hobby of Jan's was her flower gardening she looked forward to every spring and she had a beautiful yard of flowers each summer. In the 1980s Jan began working at the Priest River Elementary School in the office and she enjoyed this very much. She made many good friends there of her coworkers. She continued this for several years. In 2003, Jan sold their property on the Priest River and moved to Spokane to be near her daughter and grandsons. Jan was predeceased by her husband, DeWayne, in 1994, sister Caroline Jacobs of Anchorage, AK, brother Wally Kirchgesler of Spokane, sister Shirley Cromer of Aberdeen, S.D., and brother Keith Kirchgesler of Renton, WA. She is survived by daughter and son-in-law Sally and Tim Alsept of Spokane Valley, grandson Jason (Lanny) Fullerton of Waukesha, WI, grandson Patrick (Heather) Fullerton of Wenatchee, WA, brother Don Kirchgesler of Huntington Beach, CA, sister Susan Smith of Spokane, sister-in-law Betty Kirchgesler and sister-in-law Marge Kirchgesler and numerous nieces and nephews and their children. She cherished all her dear friends over the years and will be greatly missed by family and friends alike. At her request no funeral service was planned. Jan had a private immediate family burial and was laid to rest at Evergreen Cemetery in Priest River next to her husband on April 17, 2019. Rest in peace Mom, grandma, sister, aunt, great-aunt, and cherished friend.