Janet G. Hanson, 66

On Sept. 23, a welfare check was conducted at Janet G. Hanson’s apartment in Libby, where she was found unconscious, and was later determined to be in a diabetic coma. From the Libby emergency room, Jan was transported to the Boise intensive care unit in the early morning hours of Sept. 24. She was removed from life support, with her children bedside, on Sept. 25, 2021.

Jan was born May 18, 1955, and grew up near Ashley Lake. She was born to Richard and Josephine (Sundt) Hanson and was the youngest of eight siblings. She graduated from Kalispell’s Flathead High School in 1973.

Jan is survived by her daughter, Brandy (John) Schmitz of Hewitt, Minn., and son, Roger (Cassie) Motichka of Hayden, Idaho; grandchildren, “Angel” (Bailey), “Honey Ham” (Jake) and “Kaila-Boo” (Kailyn); sister, Carol Slaybough of Hermiston, Ore.; special friend, Darrell Doubek of Libby; cousin, Gloria Smith of Kalispell; sister-in-law, Sherian Hanson of Marion; and many loved nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Richard and Josephine Hanson; brothers, Calvin, Allen, Richard and Lawrence; sisters, Joyce Heindel and Joann Calbick; and friend, Barb Sears of Libby.

She often shared stories about her family and friends — especially the holidays at her brother Allen’s house — her love of Ashley and Bitterroot lakes, how much she loved being a stay-at-home mom while her kids were little and the many people she met when living in Libby, Idaho and Minnesota while living closer to her grandkids.

She frequently reminisced about the fun she had during her more than 15 years of managing the Columbia Falls Dairy Queen for Bill Barber in the 1980s and ’90s. She loved being in customer service, most recently her job at Rosauers’ Libby location, where her smile was loved by so many of the people she interacted with.

A private ceremony for family will be held at Ashley Lake next summer.