Janis Louise Kelley's Obituary
Janis began her earthly existence and trials in the middle of the night
July 28,1975 at LDS hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah. The first child of proud parents, Jim and Karlene, her father often had to be told to tone down his bragging about the most beautiful thing God had created. Others seemed to agree as they called her a perfect baby. Though her father sometimes had to inform people, hair doesn't matter when they would comment on her fine light hair or call her a towhead.
Janis did not cry when she was hungry or cold like other babies, but screamed uncontrollably from pain. Early in her life, bedtime was a painful experience for her parents. She had to wear a leg brace to correct leg and foot alignment. That meant she couldn't turn in bed at all.
The first girl to be born with the Kelley name in three generations, her grandmother Kelley was thrilled to have a granddaughter to sew girly things for.
The three lived in two different apartments in downtown Salt Lake until Labor day weekend 1979, when they bought their new home in Magna. Among the things in the new yard, daff dills, were Janis' favorite.
In April 1978 Jan went - with her baby doll in its own bassinet - to pick up her Mom and her new baby sister Pamela.
At the age of eight years old, Janis was baptized into the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
In April of 1987 Jan's brother Jeffery was born.
Her neighborhood was a conveniently sized pawn for the school district to adjust school boundaries. As a result Janis attended five different schools in her first seven years of education. Always the new kids - the neighborhood kids developed many social problems.
Janis graduated from East Wood High class of 1994. She earned an associate degree from Salt Lake Community College. She majored in customer service.
Although she never quite fit in and was often taunted, Janis did not know how to hold a grudge. Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God.
Her father remembers one time when a neighbor girl popped her balloon in his rose bush, Janis consoled her little neighbor girl with “Don't worry my dad will fix it. My dad can fix anything.” Unlike her mother who could fix anything with a kiss and a band-aid, Janis' dad couldn't fix burst balloons.
Janis loved to cook. Her specialties were sugar cookies and - her dads favorite – brownies. She often baked goodies and distributed them to her neighbors. At Christmas she always prepared large gift bags of home-made treats. In her later years she prepared most of the weekend meals for her family.
She loved cheese.
Even in her adult years, Halloween was one of her favorite holidays. She loved to dress up in her witch costume and give out the candy. Saying “B-O-O.” each time.
Janis and her mother had an amazing bond of love. She often referred to her mother as My Angel Mother. Which caused her Dad to recall the words of
Abraham Lincoln: “All that I am or hope to become I owe to My Angel Mother.”
As a young adult, Janis could not drive and became dependent on her mother to take her wherever she needed to go. But after realizing that self-sufficiency was a sign of maturity, Jan learned to use public transportation and paratransit to go wherever she needed. Janis even taught others in the apartment complex to use buses and TRAX to get around.
Mother and daughter still enjoyed their Friday lunch out and running errands together.
Janis was endowed in the Oquirrh Mountain Temple not long after it was open.
Like so many things in life, people cannot be fully appreciated until one sees the finished and refined version. In the case of Janis it became obvious
In the way she did everything she could for her aging mother -
In the way she quickly forgave the mistakes and thoughtlessness of her father -
In the way she gave every stranger a sweet smile -
In her interaction with children -
In flowers for her dad because: “You like Flowers and I had some extra money-”-
In the words of her friend from church- “That sweetheart sent me a card every day I was recovering from surgery”-
In the words of her nursing home room mate - “Come here. I want to meet you. You are great parents. I know by that beautiful daughter of yours” And by her shocked reaction when her father tactlessly told her Janis had passed. “ She's the best roommate I've ever had. What am I going to do without her?”
In a statement by the Prince Of Peace “Blessed are the pure In heart for they shall see God.”
Janis was released from earthly pain and difficulties at Intermountain Hospital in Murray, Utah June 9, 2024.
What’s your fondest memory of Janis?
What’s a lesson you learned from Janis?
Share a story where Janis' kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Janis you’ll never forget.
How did Janis make you smile?
