Janet E. Nellans

Janet was vivacious, outgoing, clever, energetic, artistic and a real sharp dresser. She was part of a generation that's almost gone now. Born the same year as the Great Depression, she was later rewarded with what were arguably the most prosperous years of this country, when the midde class (at least the white middle class) shared the wealth that followed WWII.

Janet also was lucky to be born and raised in Southern California when it was still covered in citrus orchards and wide-open seashores instead of people. She always loved the beach and the ocean. She spent most of her working years as a high school principal's secretary. She and her husband Jack lived in Rosemead, Bakersfield, Pasadena and West Covina before moving to the mountains of Lake Arrowhead where they enjoyed water and XC skiing. They enjoyed regular gatherings to play cards with friends throughout their time in Cali and traveling the world in their retirement years.

Janet and Jack were happily married for 60 years when he died in 2011. Jack's father Jim brought his wife Marie and children Jack and Jean from their Kansas Dust Bowl farm to Victorville, California in 1936 after Jim's brother-in-law lined up a job for Jim at a cement plant supplying construction materials for Boulder Dam. Like his father, Jack was a hard-working self-driven man who chose to work for himself in various ventures. He was outgoing and gregarious, always the life of the party. He was generous with his friends and family. He enjoyed competing in swimming, cards and pool. And he really loved the horse races, especially at Santa Anita and Del Mar.

After Janet and Jack moved to Prescott, Arizona in 2008 to be closer to their only child Bruce and his wife Joanna, Janet kept beautiful huge sea shells on her shelf so she could always hear the sound of the ocean waves. She loved walks in the woods around Prescott and crafting. Janet remained relatively mobile and of sound mind until her final few weeks; she didn't want to be bedridden for years like her mother, and she was granted that wish. She made it clear she was ready to go at the age of 94, but of course it's never easy to lose your mother.