Obituary - CENTERVILLE - Janice Ann Deakin Robinson, age 43, died September 9, 1997 from cancer (multiple myeloma).
Jan was born September 28, 1953 to Gordon N. and Marie C. Deakin. She graduated from Bingham High School in 1972 and married Blake Robinson that same year. Her course in life was altered in 1980 when she found and embraced the way of God. The selfless ministry has changed the lives of her and her family forever.
Survived by husband, Blake Robinson, her four children, Shyloh, Amy (Ryan), Whitney, and her little, Lorna Rose; parents, Gordon and Marie Deakin and brother and sisters, Donna (Rulon), Vauna (Dan), Ed (Barbara), Susan (Jim), Joleen (Dick), Denise (Ralph), Nadine (Tom) and Loralyn (Dave). Jan also has over 40 nieces and nephews, all of which were her favorite.
Jan's life speaks for itself.
------------------------------------------
Alright! Alright! It's Your Favorite Jan!
[Written in 2004 by her mother, Marie Clements Deakin (1921-2005)]
One evening as we sat quietly reading together, my husband looked up and ask me to write about our daughter, Jan, who died some seven years ago at nearly the age of 44, of Multiple Myeloma (bone marrow cancer).
At the age of three months she became anemic but overcame this illness and was always an active loving child. A darling little girl.
In her teen-age years she chose a few friends that encouraged her to get on the wrong track and she became quite a rebellious child. This hurt not only herself - but we, her parents, her one brother and her seven sisters. This brought grievous moments to us -- all we could do was hope for the best. We knew that many times she had shown sings of utmost compassion and love, especially to the downtrodden and those who needed special help.
In her troubled years she dropped out of school in her junior year in High School and ran away from home. She chose to stay overnight in the juvenile detention center rather than to go home with us. She decided to go to live with a married sister and her family. After a short stay there she came back home, found a job at a restaurant. One night as we went to pick her up from work, she came to the car bare-foot. She had just purchased her shoes the day before, she reluctantly told us about her experience of the evening. A young girl had come into the work place with very dirty, blistered feet and our sweet daughter had found a pan, some soap and a cloth and had bathed the feet of this needy young lady. She then took her new shoes from off her own feet and gave them to her, someone more in need. We saw in her such a Christ-like attitude and spirit and we knew that she would make it back alright.
While in her teens she was riding her bike to the corner grocery store. She hit a rock which tipped the bike over and broke her leg, she was in a cast from her thigh to her ankle. When the cast was eventually removed she brought the front of it home and when anyone came, she would hold it in front of her leg to appear as though her leg was still cast. She had a lot of fun with it. She often displayed the ability to clown around and make people laugh. She had a good sense of humor.
At her 18th birthday dinner she announced she was going to go to night school to make up her lost credits. She had started her senior year so this required a lot of hard work, home study and effort on her part. We all learned the true meaning of sacrifice and encouragement.
She married while doing this, set up house-keeping, caught up her lost credits and completed her senior year and graduated with her class.
Whenever she came to visit you would always hear her call out, "Alright! Alright! It's Jan". She was always giving especially of herself. If anyone needed help and she found out - they got their wishes fulfilled. Siblings, parents, friends, and casual acquaintances were recipients of her generosity.
On her birthday you will never catch her at home to wish her a happy day, she would leave early to make the rounds to her parents home, and to the homes of each of her seven siblings or their places of employment. Each year for 16 consecutive years she did this, many times dressing up to make people laugh. She always had lovely gifts for each one - one year a dozen roses; one year a beautiful afghan, another year she gave all of us a 12 inch tall pair of pilgrims which were ceramic and very fragile and beautiful. One year her husband joined her and took all of us out to dinner.
On her fortieth birthday she gave prune juice and graham crackers [to mourn the passing of her youth] - another birthday she gave a birthday package she titled: "How to throw a party for Jan kit". It contained a cake mix, frosting mix, candles, and all the trimmings for a Happy Birthday. She had such a good sense of humor.
There were many other love and heartfelt gifts given over the years. She didn't want to be the receiver - but a giver - her cup runneth over with love for all. We have no idea how many other people felt her spirit of generosity and love, but know if she saw a need, she let people know she cared about them. It didn't matter their color, creed or race. She was compassionate in every sense of the word.
She loved candy and her teeth took the brunt of it as she had to have them extracted in her 20's. One day she was visiting with her sister and a niece, she turned her back to them - took out her false teeth and replaced them with two large green grapes. She loved clowning around and making people laugh.
She loved elderly people and delighted in showing them respect and love. She and her family visited at rest homes or with aunts and uncles - often picking them up and taking them occasionally to family gatherings.
Jan kept loose change in a coffee can and other containers and often family members became the owner of a can full of change when she felt they needed extra money to help them with their pursuits.
One told how Janice helped her after the women had burned her hand severely and was unable to use it. Jan took in meals and dressed her wounds.
She had a good repore with little neighborhood children. One little girl came often for cookies and milk and would specify the color of milk she wanted. Jan would add food coloring to make it pink, green, yellow, or blue and together they would sit, eat, and enjoy each other's company. Some of the children often brought her flowers. Many were picked from Jan's own yard; her favorite was dandelions. She always took time to let both adults, and children know she cared about them.
The dandelion always intrigued her as her paternal grandmother taught her to love them and to do fun things with them; such as blowing the seeds to make them twirl in the air, putting the yellow flower under your chin to see whether or not you liked butter, and then breaking off the stems and hooking each end together to make a chain. This fascination for dandelions lasted a lifetime and she wrote a short story about them, which was published, along with her picture in the statewide newspaper.
Jan's creativity was impressive. She owned and operated a successful business - she was artistic, talented, had a knack for writing poetry, sewing, and for tole painting - she loved art and had a good eye for making anything she saw or thought about. She would create many beautiful florals, sprays, wreaths, and dolls; she could sew or do anything she set her heart and mind to do. Being creative became her niche and everything she did was her own version of the craft. It wasn't long until she affiliated with Aunt Addy's Country Home, Heart Strings, Dearly Impressive, Beary Unique Boutique, and The Quilted Bear. She also set up her own store called the Lorna Rose Garden in Bountiful. Everything she did, her goal was for the "Best of Show" and it certainly was a fulfilling dream. She was self driven and used her own ideas and always had a different theme for each show.
She was a trend-setter and her style appealed to people. Many times she sold things right out of her arms as she was taking her creative wares into the different boutiques. She was a real goal setter especially when getting ready for boutiques and Swiss Days. Swiss Days in Midway was a very big affair and she worked hard to see that her goals were accomplished, both with the way her booth looked from the outside and the inside. She took both 1st and 3rd prize ribbons and was very honored to receive one grand prize ribbon on the booth and inventory. She worked awfully hard, but it paid off. She truly had the "best of show".
She produced a darling rabbit doll which she called her "Sally Farmer" doll and was named after her youngest sisters' make-believe friend.
In the autumn season of 1995 Jan started hurting badly and spent several months going to a chiropractor to try to find comfort from the pain she was in. Finally in February 1996 she went to a doctor and discovered she had bone marrow cancer. Many treatments were prescribed and during the next two years she tried everything to get well. First going to Tijuana Mexico, just south of San Diego, it was there she took the Laitrel treatment. This helped for a period of time but the pain returned. It was so sad for all of us to see she and her daughter Whitney take off on the plane for Germany for new treatments there. Nothing seemed to give her much relief. She tried everything. She was in the hospital often for treatment which was heart rendering to everyone who loved her.
Through all of this she tried to be positive, to be of good cheer and to help all of us to cope with this dreaded disease which had taken over in her body. She spent the last four weeks hospitalized and had three surgeries including steel rods placed from her hips to her knees in both legs and another surgery to take care of infections that developed.
She made a point to rally physically, she wanted to go to her high school class reunion on. They released her Friday morning and we all helped her to get ready to go in the late afternoon. She was made comfortable in a makeshift bed in their van as Blake drove her to the Copperton Park to meet with her friends. She visited and enjoyed the evening the best she could. She returned back to the hospital on Sunday for surgery on the other hip on Monday. Little did the class of "71" realized what a great human interest story this was and how she loved those she went to school with. This was a last "goodbye" as she was taken back to her home two weeks later, she had made the request to be taken home when the time came, she wanted to be surrounded by a great family who loved her dearly.
The last hospital stay and the weeks before her death she had me, her mother take new children's stockings and cut and sew ears in the toes of the socks. Jan then turned all of these right side out and filled them with stuffing. She also had me sew around plastic to make stockings which she filled with candy - these were her very last creative items which she did in life and she wanted them to be given to the children's hospital. She always thought of others - never of herself. This was an act of kindness and each were filled with her love and caring. This was another of her great humanitarian stories. A woman filled with empathy in the greatest sense of the word.
She had 34 nieces and nephews each one felt like they were her favorite - as did everyone that ever knew her. She had a way of making people feel special and cared about in a way that most others cannot convey love. She made every one feel like they personally were her very best friend.
Janice knew the folly of adversity in her life, but she also knew the joy of overcoming her weakness and striving for a better life. She truly loved her family and wanted the best for all of us, not only with monetary things, but spiritual Christ-like treasures. She undoubtedly is learning and building on these things in the Spirit World to make a beautiful, loving place for all the rest of us to enter when we make our entrance into the next phase of life. May we all build our own lives on the beautiful example she has given us to follow after.
Undoubtedly there are many stories of compassion and love about this beautiful lady that have not been told or written, but the ones that are written are true and help to show how we can all gain love and understanding for others and repentance, and can overcome our weakness to become more like a loving Savior
Written with love by her mother, Marie C Deakin
[Modified slightly for this format]
---------------------------------
Jan was born September 28, 1953 to Gordon N. and Marie C. Deakin. She graduated from Bingham High School in 1972 and married Blake Robinson that same year. Her course in life was altered in 1980 when she found and embraced the way of God. The selfless ministry has changed the lives of her and her family forever.
Survived by husband, Blake Robinson, her four children, Shyloh, Amy (Ryan), Whitney, and her little, Lorna Rose; parents, Gordon and Marie Deakin and brother and sisters, Donna (Rulon), Vauna (Dan), Ed (Barbara), Susan (Jim), Joleen (Dick), Denise (Ralph), Nadine (Tom) and Loralyn (Dave). Jan also has over 40 nieces and nephews, all of which were her favorite.
Jan's life speaks for itself.
------------------------------------------
Alright! Alright! It's Your Favorite Jan!
[Written in 2004 by her mother, Marie Clements Deakin (1921-2005)]
One evening as we sat quietly reading together, my husband looked up and ask me to write about our daughter, Jan, who died some seven years ago at nearly the age of 44, of Multiple Myeloma (bone marrow cancer).
At the age of three months she became anemic but overcame this illness and was always an active loving child. A darling little girl.
In her teen-age years she chose a few friends that encouraged her to get on the wrong track and she became quite a rebellious child. This hurt not only herself - but we, her parents, her one brother and her seven sisters. This brought grievous moments to us -- all we could do was hope for the best. We knew that many times she had shown sings of utmost compassion and love, especially to the downtrodden and those who needed special help.
In her troubled years she dropped out of school in her junior year in High School and ran away from home. She chose to stay overnight in the juvenile detention center rather than to go home with us. She decided to go to live with a married sister and her family. After a short stay there she came back home, found a job at a restaurant. One night as we went to pick her up from work, she came to the car bare-foot. She had just purchased her shoes the day before, she reluctantly told us about her experience of the evening. A young girl had come into the work place with very dirty, blistered feet and our sweet daughter had found a pan, some soap and a cloth and had bathed the feet of this needy young lady. She then took her new shoes from off her own feet and gave them to her, someone more in need. We saw in her such a Christ-like attitude and spirit and we knew that she would make it back alright.
While in her teens she was riding her bike to the corner grocery store. She hit a rock which tipped the bike over and broke her leg, she was in a cast from her thigh to her ankle. When the cast was eventually removed she brought the front of it home and when anyone came, she would hold it in front of her leg to appear as though her leg was still cast. She had a lot of fun with it. She often displayed the ability to clown around and make people laugh. She had a good sense of humor.
At her 18th birthday dinner she announced she was going to go to night school to make up her lost credits. She had started her senior year so this required a lot of hard work, home study and effort on her part. We all learned the true meaning of sacrifice and encouragement.
She married while doing this, set up house-keeping, caught up her lost credits and completed her senior year and graduated with her class.
Whenever she came to visit you would always hear her call out, "Alright! Alright! It's Jan". She was always giving especially of herself. If anyone needed help and she found out - they got their wishes fulfilled. Siblings, parents, friends, and casual acquaintances were recipients of her generosity.
On her birthday you will never catch her at home to wish her a happy day, she would leave early to make the rounds to her parents home, and to the homes of each of her seven siblings or their places of employment. Each year for 16 consecutive years she did this, many times dressing up to make people laugh. She always had lovely gifts for each one - one year a dozen roses; one year a beautiful afghan, another year she gave all of us a 12 inch tall pair of pilgrims which were ceramic and very fragile and beautiful. One year her husband joined her and took all of us out to dinner.
On her fortieth birthday she gave prune juice and graham crackers [to mourn the passing of her youth] - another birthday she gave a birthday package she titled: "How to throw a party for Jan kit". It contained a cake mix, frosting mix, candles, and all the trimmings for a Happy Birthday. She had such a good sense of humor.
There were many other love and heartfelt gifts given over the years. She didn't want to be the receiver - but a giver - her cup runneth over with love for all. We have no idea how many other people felt her spirit of generosity and love, but know if she saw a need, she let people know she cared about them. It didn't matter their color, creed or race. She was compassionate in every sense of the word.
She loved candy and her teeth took the brunt of it as she had to have them extracted in her 20's. One day she was visiting with her sister and a niece, she turned her back to them - took out her false teeth and replaced them with two large green grapes. She loved clowning around and making people laugh.
She loved elderly people and delighted in showing them respect and love. She and her family visited at rest homes or with aunts and uncles - often picking them up and taking them occasionally to family gatherings.
Jan kept loose change in a coffee can and other containers and often family members became the owner of a can full of change when she felt they needed extra money to help them with their pursuits.
One told how Janice helped her after the women had burned her hand severely and was unable to use it. Jan took in meals and dressed her wounds.
She had a good repore with little neighborhood children. One little girl came often for cookies and milk and would specify the color of milk she wanted. Jan would add food coloring to make it pink, green, yellow, or blue and together they would sit, eat, and enjoy each other's company. Some of the children often brought her flowers. Many were picked from Jan's own yard; her favorite was dandelions. She always took time to let both adults, and children know she cared about them.
The dandelion always intrigued her as her paternal grandmother taught her to love them and to do fun things with them; such as blowing the seeds to make them twirl in the air, putting the yellow flower under your chin to see whether or not you liked butter, and then breaking off the stems and hooking each end together to make a chain. This fascination for dandelions lasted a lifetime and she wrote a short story about them, which was published, along with her picture in the statewide newspaper.
Jan's creativity was impressive. She owned and operated a successful business - she was artistic, talented, had a knack for writing poetry, sewing, and for tole painting - she loved art and had a good eye for making anything she saw or thought about. She would create many beautiful florals, sprays, wreaths, and dolls; she could sew or do anything she set her heart and mind to do. Being creative became her niche and everything she did was her own version of the craft. It wasn't long until she affiliated with Aunt Addy's Country Home, Heart Strings, Dearly Impressive, Beary Unique Boutique, and The Quilted Bear. She also set up her own store called the Lorna Rose Garden in Bountiful. Everything she did, her goal was for the "Best of Show" and it certainly was a fulfilling dream. She was self driven and used her own ideas and always had a different theme for each show.
She was a trend-setter and her style appealed to people. Many times she sold things right out of her arms as she was taking her creative wares into the different boutiques. She was a real goal setter especially when getting ready for boutiques and Swiss Days. Swiss Days in Midway was a very big affair and she worked hard to see that her goals were accomplished, both with the way her booth looked from the outside and the inside. She took both 1st and 3rd prize ribbons and was very honored to receive one grand prize ribbon on the booth and inventory. She worked awfully hard, but it paid off. She truly had the "best of show".
She produced a darling rabbit doll which she called her "Sally Farmer" doll and was named after her youngest sisters' make-believe friend.
In the autumn season of 1995 Jan started hurting badly and spent several months going to a chiropractor to try to find comfort from the pain she was in. Finally in February 1996 she went to a doctor and discovered she had bone marrow cancer. Many treatments were prescribed and during the next two years she tried everything to get well. First going to Tijuana Mexico, just south of San Diego, it was there she took the Laitrel treatment. This helped for a period of time but the pain returned. It was so sad for all of us to see she and her daughter Whitney take off on the plane for Germany for new treatments there. Nothing seemed to give her much relief. She tried everything. She was in the hospital often for treatment which was heart rendering to everyone who loved her.
Through all of this she tried to be positive, to be of good cheer and to help all of us to cope with this dreaded disease which had taken over in her body. She spent the last four weeks hospitalized and had three surgeries including steel rods placed from her hips to her knees in both legs and another surgery to take care of infections that developed.
She made a point to rally physically, she wanted to go to her high school class reunion on. They released her Friday morning and we all helped her to get ready to go in the late afternoon. She was made comfortable in a makeshift bed in their van as Blake drove her to the Copperton Park to meet with her friends. She visited and enjoyed the evening the best she could. She returned back to the hospital on Sunday for surgery on the other hip on Monday. Little did the class of "71" realized what a great human interest story this was and how she loved those she went to school with. This was a last "goodbye" as she was taken back to her home two weeks later, she had made the request to be taken home when the time came, she wanted to be surrounded by a great family who loved her dearly.
The last hospital stay and the weeks before her death she had me, her mother take new children's stockings and cut and sew ears in the toes of the socks. Jan then turned all of these right side out and filled them with stuffing. She also had me sew around plastic to make stockings which she filled with candy - these were her very last creative items which she did in life and she wanted them to be given to the children's hospital. She always thought of others - never of herself. This was an act of kindness and each were filled with her love and caring. This was another of her great humanitarian stories. A woman filled with empathy in the greatest sense of the word.
She had 34 nieces and nephews each one felt like they were her favorite - as did everyone that ever knew her. She had a way of making people feel special and cared about in a way that most others cannot convey love. She made every one feel like they personally were her very best friend.
Janice knew the folly of adversity in her life, but she also knew the joy of overcoming her weakness and striving for a better life. She truly loved her family and wanted the best for all of us, not only with monetary things, but spiritual Christ-like treasures. She undoubtedly is learning and building on these things in the Spirit World to make a beautiful, loving place for all the rest of us to enter when we make our entrance into the next phase of life. May we all build our own lives on the beautiful example she has given us to follow after.
Undoubtedly there are many stories of compassion and love about this beautiful lady that have not been told or written, but the ones that are written are true and help to show how we can all gain love and understanding for others and repentance, and can overcome our weakness to become more like a loving Savior
Written with love by her mother, Marie C Deakin
[Modified slightly for this format]
---------------------------------
Obituary - CENTERVILLE - Janice Ann Deakin Robinson, age 43, died September 9, 1997 from cancer (multiple myeloma).
Jan was born September 28, 1953 to Gordon N. and Marie C. Deakin. She graduated from Bingham High School in 1972 and married Blake Robinson that same year. Her course in life was altered in 1980 when she found and embraced the way of God. The selfless ministry has changed the lives of her and her family forever.
Survived by husband, Blake Robinson, her four children, Shyloh, Amy (Ryan), Whitney, and her little, Lorna Rose; parents, Gordon and Marie Deakin and brother and sisters, Donna (Rulon), Vauna (Dan), Ed (Barbara), Susan (Jim), Joleen (Dick), Denise (Ralph), Nadine (Tom) and Loralyn (Dave). Jan also has over 40 nieces and nephews, all of which were her favorite.
Jan's life speaks for itself.
------------------------------------------
Alright! Alright! It's Your Favorite Jan!
[Written in 2004 by her mother, Marie Clements Deakin (1921-2005)]
One evening as we sat quietly reading together, my husband looked up and ask me to write about our daughter, Jan, who died some seven years ago at nearly the age of 44, of Multiple Myeloma (bone marrow cancer).
At the age of three months she became anemic but overcame this illness and was always an active loving child. A darling little girl.
In her teen-age years she chose a few friends that encouraged her to get on the wrong track and she became quite a rebellious child. This hurt not only herself - but we, her parents, her one brother and her seven sisters. This brought grievous moments to us -- all we could do was hope for the best. We knew that many times she had shown sings of utmost compassion and love, especially to the downtrodden and those who needed special help.
In her troubled years she dropped out of school in her junior year in High School and ran away from home. She chose to stay overnight in the juvenile detention center rather than to go home with us. She decided to go to live with a married sister and her family. After a short stay there she came back home, found a job at a restaurant. One night as we went to pick her up from work, she came to the car bare-foot. She had just purchased her shoes the day before, she reluctantly told us about her experience of the evening. A young girl had come into the work place with very dirty, blistered feet and our sweet daughter had found a pan, some soap and a cloth and had bathed the feet of this needy young lady. She then took her new shoes from off her own feet and gave them to her, someone more in need. We saw in her such a Christ-like attitude and spirit and we knew that she would make it back alright.
While in her teens she was riding her bike to the corner grocery store. She hit a rock which tipped the bike over and broke her leg, she was in a cast from her thigh to her ankle. When the cast was eventually removed she brought the front of it home and when anyone came, she would hold it in front of her leg to appear as though her leg was still cast. She had a lot of fun with it. She often displayed the ability to clown around and make people laugh. She had a good sense of humor.
At her 18th birthday dinner she announced she was going to go to night school to make up her lost credits. She had started her senior year so this required a lot of hard work, home study and effort on her part. We all learned the true meaning of sacrifice and encouragement.
She married while doing this, set up house-keeping, caught up her lost credits and completed her senior year and graduated with her class.
Whenever she came to visit you would always hear her call out, "Alright! Alright! It's Jan". She was always giving especially of herself. If anyone needed help and she found out - they got their wishes fulfilled. Siblings, parents, friends, and casual acquaintances were recipients of her generosity.
On her birthday you will never catch her at home to wish her a happy day, she would leave early to make the rounds to her parents home, and to the homes of each of her seven siblings or their places of employment. Each year for 16 consecutive years she did this, many times dressing up to make people laugh. She always had lovely gifts for each one - one year a dozen roses; one year a beautiful afghan, another year she gave all of us a 12 inch tall pair of pilgrims which were ceramic and very fragile and beautiful. One year her husband joined her and took all of us out to dinner.
On her fortieth birthday she gave prune juice and graham crackers [to mourn the passing of her youth] - another birthday she gave a birthday package she titled: "How to throw a party for Jan kit". It contained a cake mix, frosting mix, candles, and all the trimmings for a Happy Birthday. She had such a good sense of humor.
There were many other love and heartfelt gifts given over the years. She didn't want to be the receiver - but a giver - her cup runneth over with love for all. We have no idea how many other people felt her spirit of generosity and love, but know if she saw a need, she let people know she cared about them. It didn't matter their color, creed or race. She was compassionate in every sense of the word.
She loved candy and her teeth took the brunt of it as she had to have them extracted in her 20's. One day she was visiting with her sister and a niece, she turned her back to them - took out her false teeth and replaced them with two large green grapes. She loved clowning around and making people laugh.
She loved elderly people and delighted in showing them respect and love. She and her family visited at rest homes or with aunts and uncles - often picking them up and taking them occasionally to family gatherings.
Jan kept loose change in a coffee can and other containers and often family members became the owner of a can full of change when she felt they needed extra money to help them with their pursuits.
One told how Janice helped her after the women had burned her hand severely and was unable to use it. Jan took in meals and dressed her wounds.
She had a good repore with little neighborhood children. One little girl came often for cookies and milk and would specify the color of milk she wanted. Jan would add food coloring to make it pink, green, yellow, or blue and together they would sit, eat, and enjoy each other's company. Some of the children often brought her flowers. Many were picked from Jan's own yard; her favorite was dandelions. She always took time to let both adults, and children know she cared about them.
The dandelion always intrigued her as her paternal grandmother taught her to love them and to do fun things with them; such as blowing the seeds to make them twirl in the air, putting the yellow flower under your chin to see whether or not you liked butter, and then breaking off the stems and hooking each end together to make a chain. This fascination for dandelions lasted a lifetime and she wrote a short story about them, which was published, along with her picture in the statewide newspaper.
Jan's creativity was impressive. She owned and operated a successful business - she was artistic, talented, had a knack for writing poetry, sewing, and for tole painting - she loved art and had a good eye for making anything she saw or thought about. She would create many beautiful florals, sprays, wreaths, and dolls; she could sew or do anything she set her heart and mind to do. Being creative became her niche and everything she did was her own version of the craft. It wasn't long until she affiliated with Aunt Addy's Country Home, Heart Strings, Dearly Impressive, Beary Unique Boutique, and The Quilted Bear. She also set up her own store called the Lorna Rose Garden in Bountiful. Everything she did, her goal was for the "Best of Show" and it certainly was a fulfilling dream. She was self driven and used her own ideas and always had a different theme for each show.
She was a trend-setter and her style appealed to people. Many times she sold things right out of her arms as she was taking her creative wares into the different boutiques. She was a real goal setter especially when getting ready for boutiques and Swiss Days. Swiss Days in Midway was a very big affair and she worked hard to see that her goals were accomplished, both with the way her booth looked from the outside and the inside. She took both 1st and 3rd prize ribbons and was very honored to receive one grand prize ribbon on the booth and inventory. She worked awfully hard, but it paid off. She truly had the "best of show".
She produced a darling rabbit doll which she called her "Sally Farmer" doll and was named after her youngest sisters' make-believe friend.
In the autumn season of 1995 Jan started hurting badly and spent several months going to a chiropractor to try to find comfort from the pain she was in. Finally in February 1996 she went to a doctor and discovered she had bone marrow cancer. Many treatments were prescribed and during the next two years she tried everything to get well. First going to Tijuana Mexico, just south of San Diego, it was there she took the Laitrel treatment. This helped for a period of time but the pain returned. It was so sad for all of us to see she and her daughter Whitney take off on the plane for Germany for new treatments there. Nothing seemed to give her much relief. She tried everything. She was in the hospital often for treatment which was heart rendering to everyone who loved her.
Through all of this she tried to be positive, to be of good cheer and to help all of us to cope with this dreaded disease which had taken over in her body. She spent the last four weeks hospitalized and had three surgeries including steel rods placed from her hips to her knees in both legs and another surgery to take care of infections that developed.
She made a point to rally physically, she wanted to go to her high school class reunion on. They released her Friday morning and we all helped her to get ready to go in the late afternoon. She was made comfortable in a makeshift bed in their van as Blake drove her to the Copperton Park to meet with her friends. She visited and enjoyed the evening the best she could. She returned back to the hospital on Sunday for surgery on the other hip on Monday. Little did the class of "71" realized what a great human interest story this was and how she loved those she went to school with. This was a last "goodbye" as she was taken back to her home two weeks later, she had made the request to be taken home when the time came, she wanted to be surrounded by a great family who loved her dearly.
The last hospital stay and the weeks before her death she had me, her mother take new children's stockings and cut and sew ears in the toes of the socks. Jan then turned all of these right side out and filled them with stuffing. She also had me sew around plastic to make stockings which she filled with candy - these were her very last creative items which she did in life and she wanted them to be given to the children's hospital. She always thought of others - never of herself. This was an act of kindness and each were filled with her love and caring. This was another of her great humanitarian stories. A woman filled with empathy in the greatest sense of the word.
She had 34 nieces and nephews each one felt like they were her favorite - as did everyone that ever knew her. She had a way of making people feel special and cared about in a way that most others cannot convey love. She made every one feel like they personally were her very best friend.
Janice knew the folly of adversity in her life, but she also knew the joy of overcoming her weakness and striving for a better life. She truly loved her family and wanted the best for all of us, not only with monetary things, but spiritual Christ-like treasures. She undoubtedly is learning and building on these things in the Spirit World to make a beautiful, loving place for all the rest of us to enter when we make our entrance into the next phase of life. May we all build our own lives on the beautiful example she has given us to follow after.
Undoubtedly there are many stories of compassion and love about this beautiful lady that have not been told or written, but the ones that are written are true and help to show how we can all gain love and understanding for others and repentance, and can overcome our weakness to become more like a loving Savior
Written with love by her mother, Marie C Deakin
[Modified slightly for this format]
---------------------------------
Jan was born September 28, 1953 to Gordon N. and Marie C. Deakin. She graduated from Bingham High School in 1972 and married Blake Robinson that same year. Her course in life was altered in 1980 when she found and embraced the way of God. The selfless ministry has changed the lives of her and her family forever.
Survived by husband, Blake Robinson, her four children, Shyloh, Amy (Ryan), Whitney, and her little, Lorna Rose; parents, Gordon and Marie Deakin and brother and sisters, Donna (Rulon), Vauna (Dan), Ed (Barbara), Susan (Jim), Joleen (Dick), Denise (Ralph), Nadine (Tom) and Loralyn (Dave). Jan also has over 40 nieces and nephews, all of which were her favorite.
Jan's life speaks for itself.
------------------------------------------
Alright! Alright! It's Your Favorite Jan!
[Written in 2004 by her mother, Marie Clements Deakin (1921-2005)]
One evening as we sat quietly reading together, my husband looked up and ask me to write about our daughter, Jan, who died some seven years ago at nearly the age of 44, of Multiple Myeloma (bone marrow cancer).
At the age of three months she became anemic but overcame this illness and was always an active loving child. A darling little girl.
In her teen-age years she chose a few friends that encouraged her to get on the wrong track and she became quite a rebellious child. This hurt not only herself - but we, her parents, her one brother and her seven sisters. This brought grievous moments to us -- all we could do was hope for the best. We knew that many times she had shown sings of utmost compassion and love, especially to the downtrodden and those who needed special help.
In her troubled years she dropped out of school in her junior year in High School and ran away from home. She chose to stay overnight in the juvenile detention center rather than to go home with us. She decided to go to live with a married sister and her family. After a short stay there she came back home, found a job at a restaurant. One night as we went to pick her up from work, she came to the car bare-foot. She had just purchased her shoes the day before, she reluctantly told us about her experience of the evening. A young girl had come into the work place with very dirty, blistered feet and our sweet daughter had found a pan, some soap and a cloth and had bathed the feet of this needy young lady. She then took her new shoes from off her own feet and gave them to her, someone more in need. We saw in her such a Christ-like attitude and spirit and we knew that she would make it back alright.
While in her teens she was riding her bike to the corner grocery store. She hit a rock which tipped the bike over and broke her leg, she was in a cast from her thigh to her ankle. When the cast was eventually removed she brought the front of it home and when anyone came, she would hold it in front of her leg to appear as though her leg was still cast. She had a lot of fun with it. She often displayed the ability to clown around and make people laugh. She had a good sense of humor.
At her 18th birthday dinner she announced she was going to go to night school to make up her lost credits. She had started her senior year so this required a lot of hard work, home study and effort on her part. We all learned the true meaning of sacrifice and encouragement.
She married while doing this, set up house-keeping, caught up her lost credits and completed her senior year and graduated with her class.
Whenever she came to visit you would always hear her call out, "Alright! Alright! It's Jan". She was always giving especially of herself. If anyone needed help and she found out - they got their wishes fulfilled. Siblings, parents, friends, and casual acquaintances were recipients of her generosity.
On her birthday you will never catch her at home to wish her a happy day, she would leave early to make the rounds to her parents home, and to the homes of each of her seven siblings or their places of employment. Each year for 16 consecutive years she did this, many times dressing up to make people laugh. She always had lovely gifts for each one - one year a dozen roses; one year a beautiful afghan, another year she gave all of us a 12 inch tall pair of pilgrims which were ceramic and very fragile and beautiful. One year her husband joined her and took all of us out to dinner.
On her fortieth birthday she gave prune juice and graham crackers [to mourn the passing of her youth] - another birthday she gave a birthday package she titled: "How to throw a party for Jan kit". It contained a cake mix, frosting mix, candles, and all the trimmings for a Happy Birthday. She had such a good sense of humor.
There were many other love and heartfelt gifts given over the years. She didn't want to be the receiver - but a giver - her cup runneth over with love for all. We have no idea how many other people felt her spirit of generosity and love, but know if she saw a need, she let people know she cared about them. It didn't matter their color, creed or race. She was compassionate in every sense of the word.
She loved candy and her teeth took the brunt of it as she had to have them extracted in her 20's. One day she was visiting with her sister and a niece, she turned her back to them - took out her false teeth and replaced them with two large green grapes. She loved clowning around and making people laugh.
She loved elderly people and delighted in showing them respect and love. She and her family visited at rest homes or with aunts and uncles - often picking them up and taking them occasionally to family gatherings.
Jan kept loose change in a coffee can and other containers and often family members became the owner of a can full of change when she felt they needed extra money to help them with their pursuits.
One told how Janice helped her after the women had burned her hand severely and was unable to use it. Jan took in meals and dressed her wounds.
She had a good repore with little neighborhood children. One little girl came often for cookies and milk and would specify the color of milk she wanted. Jan would add food coloring to make it pink, green, yellow, or blue and together they would sit, eat, and enjoy each other's company. Some of the children often brought her flowers. Many were picked from Jan's own yard; her favorite was dandelions. She always took time to let both adults, and children know she cared about them.
The dandelion always intrigued her as her paternal grandmother taught her to love them and to do fun things with them; such as blowing the seeds to make them twirl in the air, putting the yellow flower under your chin to see whether or not you liked butter, and then breaking off the stems and hooking each end together to make a chain. This fascination for dandelions lasted a lifetime and she wrote a short story about them, which was published, along with her picture in the statewide newspaper.
Jan's creativity was impressive. She owned and operated a successful business - she was artistic, talented, had a knack for writing poetry, sewing, and for tole painting - she loved art and had a good eye for making anything she saw or thought about. She would create many beautiful florals, sprays, wreaths, and dolls; she could sew or do anything she set her heart and mind to do. Being creative became her niche and everything she did was her own version of the craft. It wasn't long until she affiliated with Aunt Addy's Country Home, Heart Strings, Dearly Impressive, Beary Unique Boutique, and The Quilted Bear. She also set up her own store called the Lorna Rose Garden in Bountiful. Everything she did, her goal was for the "Best of Show" and it certainly was a fulfilling dream. She was self driven and used her own ideas and always had a different theme for each show.
She was a trend-setter and her style appealed to people. Many times she sold things right out of her arms as she was taking her creative wares into the different boutiques. She was a real goal setter especially when getting ready for boutiques and Swiss Days. Swiss Days in Midway was a very big affair and she worked hard to see that her goals were accomplished, both with the way her booth looked from the outside and the inside. She took both 1st and 3rd prize ribbons and was very honored to receive one grand prize ribbon on the booth and inventory. She worked awfully hard, but it paid off. She truly had the "best of show".
She produced a darling rabbit doll which she called her "Sally Farmer" doll and was named after her youngest sisters' make-believe friend.
In the autumn season of 1995 Jan started hurting badly and spent several months going to a chiropractor to try to find comfort from the pain she was in. Finally in February 1996 she went to a doctor and discovered she had bone marrow cancer. Many treatments were prescribed and during the next two years she tried everything to get well. First going to Tijuana Mexico, just south of San Diego, it was there she took the Laitrel treatment. This helped for a period of time but the pain returned. It was so sad for all of us to see she and her daughter Whitney take off on the plane for Germany for new treatments there. Nothing seemed to give her much relief. She tried everything. She was in the hospital often for treatment which was heart rendering to everyone who loved her.
Through all of this she tried to be positive, to be of good cheer and to help all of us to cope with this dreaded disease which had taken over in her body. She spent the last four weeks hospitalized and had three surgeries including steel rods placed from her hips to her knees in both legs and another surgery to take care of infections that developed.
She made a point to rally physically, she wanted to go to her high school class reunion on. They released her Friday morning and we all helped her to get ready to go in the late afternoon. She was made comfortable in a makeshift bed in their van as Blake drove her to the Copperton Park to meet with her friends. She visited and enjoyed the evening the best she could. She returned back to the hospital on Sunday for surgery on the other hip on Monday. Little did the class of "71" realized what a great human interest story this was and how she loved those she went to school with. This was a last "goodbye" as she was taken back to her home two weeks later, she had made the request to be taken home when the time came, she wanted to be surrounded by a great family who loved her dearly.
The last hospital stay and the weeks before her death she had me, her mother take new children's stockings and cut and sew ears in the toes of the socks. Jan then turned all of these right side out and filled them with stuffing. She also had me sew around plastic to make stockings which she filled with candy - these were her very last creative items which she did in life and she wanted them to be given to the children's hospital. She always thought of others - never of herself. This was an act of kindness and each were filled with her love and caring. This was another of her great humanitarian stories. A woman filled with empathy in the greatest sense of the word.
She had 34 nieces and nephews each one felt like they were her favorite - as did everyone that ever knew her. She had a way of making people feel special and cared about in a way that most others cannot convey love. She made every one feel like they personally were her very best friend.
Janice knew the folly of adversity in her life, but she also knew the joy of overcoming her weakness and striving for a better life. She truly loved her family and wanted the best for all of us, not only with monetary things, but spiritual Christ-like treasures. She undoubtedly is learning and building on these things in the Spirit World to make a beautiful, loving place for all the rest of us to enter when we make our entrance into the next phase of life. May we all build our own lives on the beautiful example she has given us to follow after.
Undoubtedly there are many stories of compassion and love about this beautiful lady that have not been told or written, but the ones that are written are true and help to show how we can all gain love and understanding for others and repentance, and can overcome our weakness to become more like a loving Savior
Written with love by her mother, Marie C Deakin
[Modified slightly for this format]
---------------------------------
