Please join the family in celebrating the life of Janice Mae (Garrison) James on Tuesday, July 25, 2017 at Costin Funeral Chapel. Calling will be from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. followed by a service conducted by Rev. Kevin Able at 7:00 p.m.
Fiercely independent during her eighty-four years, Janice quietly ended her earthly journey in hospice care at The Waters of Martinsville. Born on New Year's Day to Floyd and Viola Garrison, she was the first baby born in Morgan County in 1933.
Never content to sit still, Janice's life was filled with eclectic activities. A basketball enthusiast, she was very proud to have been one of the first GAA basketball players and to be the mother of state-championship basketball coach Mark James. Roller skating at the rink in town was one of her favorite teenage pastimes. While she did hang up her skates, she kept herself going with exercise and dance. Her love of music was especially evident when she would harmonize when singing duets with her son, Tim, or would sing tenor in church choirs under his direction. Her favorite quiet activities were knitting heirloom afghans and reading: She had an affinity for novels written by Danielle Steele and Mary Higgins Clark, biographies, anything about the Kennedy family, especially Jackie Kennedy, and true crime dramas.
Sharing and enriching her life for 63 years was her husband and forever dance partner Jess James. Married on January 23, 1954, they shared many adventures -- exploring almost all of the continental states on R.V. adventures first with Bob and Merva James Rydell and then with George and Marie Wells, enjoying an AMTRAK train trip to Montana, and "tearing up the dance floor" on a Princess Cruise to Cozumel. They shared their last dance at granddaughter Megan's wedding in November 2015 when they earned the distinction of being the longest married couple in attendance.
While still in high school, Janice began working at Hoby's Restaurant where Mrs. Nay honed her innate talent for cooking. Janice will forever be remembered for her unparalleled mashed potatoes, yeast biscuits, homemade noodles, Christmas cookies, apple cake, peach cobbler, and pumpkin, pecan, and butterscotch pies. Her sister-in-law, Merva, taught her the art of making candy, and the pair made pounds of delectable chocolate and peanut butter fudge which they generously shared with their family, friends, and co-workers.
Janice worked in the capsule room at Eli Lilly in Indianapolis, in the Morgan County Treasurer's Office, and as an advertising representative for the Martinsville Daily Reporter. Many people will also remember her fondly as the Martinsville High School lunch lady who would gladly add more meat to a sandwich or sneak more fries onto a tray.
Always a lover of the Lord, Janice attended many different churches -- Apostolic Faith Church, Monrovia Christian Church and First United Methodist Church of Martinsville -- but she felt like she had truly found her church home during the years when she and Jess were able to attend River Valley Fellowship.
Janice is survived by her husband Ralph "Jess" James, sons Mark James and wife Pam of Indianapolis and Tim James and wife Susan of Martinsville; five cherished grandchildren: Jessica Shipp and husband Brandon, Derek James, Nicole James, Megan Koenig and husband John, Kyle James; and great-grandsons James and Alexander Shipp. Also surviving are her sisters, Donna Jean Turley of Largo, Florida, and Mary Ann Petro and husband Jerry of Martinsville; brothers, Perry Garrison and wife Margaret of Westville, Illinois, and Don "Big Shot" Garrison of Great Falls, Montana.
She was preceded in death by her parents; sisters, Barbara Garrison Houston and Rose Marie Garrison Fink; brother, Mike Garrison; and beloved Scottish Terriers JoJo and Toto.
Costin Funeral Chapel - July 23, 2017
Fiercely independent during her eighty-four years, Janice quietly ended her earthly journey in hospice care at The Waters of Martinsville. Born on New Year's Day to Floyd and Viola Garrison, she was the first baby born in Morgan County in 1933.
Never content to sit still, Janice's life was filled with eclectic activities. A basketball enthusiast, she was very proud to have been one of the first GAA basketball players and to be the mother of state-championship basketball coach Mark James. Roller skating at the rink in town was one of her favorite teenage pastimes. While she did hang up her skates, she kept herself going with exercise and dance. Her love of music was especially evident when she would harmonize when singing duets with her son, Tim, or would sing tenor in church choirs under his direction. Her favorite quiet activities were knitting heirloom afghans and reading: She had an affinity for novels written by Danielle Steele and Mary Higgins Clark, biographies, anything about the Kennedy family, especially Jackie Kennedy, and true crime dramas.
Sharing and enriching her life for 63 years was her husband and forever dance partner Jess James. Married on January 23, 1954, they shared many adventures -- exploring almost all of the continental states on R.V. adventures first with Bob and Merva James Rydell and then with George and Marie Wells, enjoying an AMTRAK train trip to Montana, and "tearing up the dance floor" on a Princess Cruise to Cozumel. They shared their last dance at granddaughter Megan's wedding in November 2015 when they earned the distinction of being the longest married couple in attendance.
While still in high school, Janice began working at Hoby's Restaurant where Mrs. Nay honed her innate talent for cooking. Janice will forever be remembered for her unparalleled mashed potatoes, yeast biscuits, homemade noodles, Christmas cookies, apple cake, peach cobbler, and pumpkin, pecan, and butterscotch pies. Her sister-in-law, Merva, taught her the art of making candy, and the pair made pounds of delectable chocolate and peanut butter fudge which they generously shared with their family, friends, and co-workers.
Janice worked in the capsule room at Eli Lilly in Indianapolis, in the Morgan County Treasurer's Office, and as an advertising representative for the Martinsville Daily Reporter. Many people will also remember her fondly as the Martinsville High School lunch lady who would gladly add more meat to a sandwich or sneak more fries onto a tray.
Always a lover of the Lord, Janice attended many different churches -- Apostolic Faith Church, Monrovia Christian Church and First United Methodist Church of Martinsville -- but she felt like she had truly found her church home during the years when she and Jess were able to attend River Valley Fellowship.
Janice is survived by her husband Ralph "Jess" James, sons Mark James and wife Pam of Indianapolis and Tim James and wife Susan of Martinsville; five cherished grandchildren: Jessica Shipp and husband Brandon, Derek James, Nicole James, Megan Koenig and husband John, Kyle James; and great-grandsons James and Alexander Shipp. Also surviving are her sisters, Donna Jean Turley of Largo, Florida, and Mary Ann Petro and husband Jerry of Martinsville; brothers, Perry Garrison and wife Margaret of Westville, Illinois, and Don "Big Shot" Garrison of Great Falls, Montana.
She was preceded in death by her parents; sisters, Barbara Garrison Houston and Rose Marie Garrison Fink; brother, Mike Garrison; and beloved Scottish Terriers JoJo and Toto.
Costin Funeral Chapel - July 23, 2017
Please join the family in celebrating the life of Janice Mae (Garrison) James on Tuesday, July 25, 2017 at Costin Funeral Chapel. Calling will be from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. followed by a service conducted by Rev. Kevin Able at 7:00 p.m.
Fiercely independent during her eighty-four years, Janice quietly ended her earthly journey in hospice care at The Waters of Martinsville. Born on New Year's Day to Floyd and Viola Garrison, she was the first baby born in Morgan County in 1933.
Never content to sit still, Janice's life was filled with eclectic activities. A basketball enthusiast, she was very proud to have been one of the first GAA basketball players and to be the mother of state-championship basketball coach Mark James. Roller skating at the rink in town was one of her favorite teenage pastimes. While she did hang up her skates, she kept herself going with exercise and dance. Her love of music was especially evident when she would harmonize when singing duets with her son, Tim, or would sing tenor in church choirs under his direction. Her favorite quiet activities were knitting heirloom afghans and reading: She had an affinity for novels written by Danielle Steele and Mary Higgins Clark, biographies, anything about the Kennedy family, especially Jackie Kennedy, and true crime dramas.
Sharing and enriching her life for 63 years was her husband and forever dance partner Jess James. Married on January 23, 1954, they shared many adventures -- exploring almost all of the continental states on R.V. adventures first with Bob and Merva James Rydell and then with George and Marie Wells, enjoying an AMTRAK train trip to Montana, and "tearing up the dance floor" on a Princess Cruise to Cozumel. They shared their last dance at granddaughter Megan's wedding in November 2015 when they earned the distinction of being the longest married couple in attendance.
While still in high school, Janice began working at Hoby's Restaurant where Mrs. Nay honed her innate talent for cooking. Janice will forever be remembered for her unparalleled mashed potatoes, yeast biscuits, homemade noodles, Christmas cookies, apple cake, peach cobbler, and pumpkin, pecan, and butterscotch pies. Her sister-in-law, Merva, taught her the art of making candy, and the pair made pounds of delectable chocolate and peanut butter fudge which they generously shared with their family, friends, and co-workers.
Janice worked in the capsule room at Eli Lilly in Indianapolis, in the Morgan County Treasurer's Office, and as an advertising representative for the Martinsville Daily Reporter. Many people will also remember her fondly as the Martinsville High School lunch lady who would gladly add more meat to a sandwich or sneak more fries onto a tray.
Always a lover of the Lord, Janice attended many different churches -- Apostolic Faith Church, Monrovia Christian Church and First United Methodist Church of Martinsville -- but she felt like she had truly found her church home during the years when she and Jess were able to attend River Valley Fellowship.
Janice is survived by her husband Ralph "Jess" James, sons Mark James and wife Pam of Indianapolis and Tim James and wife Susan of Martinsville; five cherished grandchildren: Jessica Shipp and husband Brandon, Derek James, Nicole James, Megan Koenig and husband John, Kyle James; and great-grandsons James and Alexander Shipp. Also surviving are her sisters, Donna Jean Turley of Largo, Florida, and Mary Ann Petro and husband Jerry of Martinsville; brothers, Perry Garrison and wife Margaret of Westville, Illinois, and Don "Big Shot" Garrison of Great Falls, Montana.
She was preceded in death by her parents; sisters, Barbara Garrison Houston and Rose Marie Garrison Fink; brother, Mike Garrison; and beloved Scottish Terriers JoJo and Toto.
Costin Funeral Chapel - July 23, 2017
Fiercely independent during her eighty-four years, Janice quietly ended her earthly journey in hospice care at The Waters of Martinsville. Born on New Year's Day to Floyd and Viola Garrison, she was the first baby born in Morgan County in 1933.
Never content to sit still, Janice's life was filled with eclectic activities. A basketball enthusiast, she was very proud to have been one of the first GAA basketball players and to be the mother of state-championship basketball coach Mark James. Roller skating at the rink in town was one of her favorite teenage pastimes. While she did hang up her skates, she kept herself going with exercise and dance. Her love of music was especially evident when she would harmonize when singing duets with her son, Tim, or would sing tenor in church choirs under his direction. Her favorite quiet activities were knitting heirloom afghans and reading: She had an affinity for novels written by Danielle Steele and Mary Higgins Clark, biographies, anything about the Kennedy family, especially Jackie Kennedy, and true crime dramas.
Sharing and enriching her life for 63 years was her husband and forever dance partner Jess James. Married on January 23, 1954, they shared many adventures -- exploring almost all of the continental states on R.V. adventures first with Bob and Merva James Rydell and then with George and Marie Wells, enjoying an AMTRAK train trip to Montana, and "tearing up the dance floor" on a Princess Cruise to Cozumel. They shared their last dance at granddaughter Megan's wedding in November 2015 when they earned the distinction of being the longest married couple in attendance.
While still in high school, Janice began working at Hoby's Restaurant where Mrs. Nay honed her innate talent for cooking. Janice will forever be remembered for her unparalleled mashed potatoes, yeast biscuits, homemade noodles, Christmas cookies, apple cake, peach cobbler, and pumpkin, pecan, and butterscotch pies. Her sister-in-law, Merva, taught her the art of making candy, and the pair made pounds of delectable chocolate and peanut butter fudge which they generously shared with their family, friends, and co-workers.
Janice worked in the capsule room at Eli Lilly in Indianapolis, in the Morgan County Treasurer's Office, and as an advertising representative for the Martinsville Daily Reporter. Many people will also remember her fondly as the Martinsville High School lunch lady who would gladly add more meat to a sandwich or sneak more fries onto a tray.
Always a lover of the Lord, Janice attended many different churches -- Apostolic Faith Church, Monrovia Christian Church and First United Methodist Church of Martinsville -- but she felt like she had truly found her church home during the years when she and Jess were able to attend River Valley Fellowship.
Janice is survived by her husband Ralph "Jess" James, sons Mark James and wife Pam of Indianapolis and Tim James and wife Susan of Martinsville; five cherished grandchildren: Jessica Shipp and husband Brandon, Derek James, Nicole James, Megan Koenig and husband John, Kyle James; and great-grandsons James and Alexander Shipp. Also surviving are her sisters, Donna Jean Turley of Largo, Florida, and Mary Ann Petro and husband Jerry of Martinsville; brothers, Perry Garrison and wife Margaret of Westville, Illinois, and Don "Big Shot" Garrison of Great Falls, Montana.
She was preceded in death by her parents; sisters, Barbara Garrison Houston and Rose Marie Garrison Fink; brother, Mike Garrison; and beloved Scottish Terriers JoJo and Toto.
Costin Funeral Chapel - July 23, 2017
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