Janice loved being a mother and a teacher. She grew up in the Frogtown area and spent her early years following her older brother Dean everywhere.   She attended Minnehaha Academy, Macalester College and the University of Minnesota. After a stint of teaching in Chisholm,  Janice married Melvyn and they lived in the Como area, and many years in the Macalester area while raising their three children. Eventually the family moved to the West Side.  Janice volunteered at the Humboldt HS library which eventually became a job where she could use her skills as well as watch over her youngest.