Born June 17, 1938 to John (Jack) and Katherin (Kay) Freeland in Santa Monica, Janet's father was a salesman and her mother a technical librarian for Lockheed. Janet and sister Ellen grew up in a little bungalow on North Myers Street in Burbank, where both attended John Burroughs High School.
In 1957, she met Edward Thomas Lee at Chaffey Junior College in Upland. It is reported that she noticed Eddie’s “fine nose” and decided he was the one. In a town of 6,000, their engagement made the local paper, "Betrothal of Miss Freeland, Edward Lee Follows JC Campus Romance." They were married in an Episcopal church on April 12, 1959.
They immediately became fruitful and multiplied, and Janet poured herself into raising her children: Jeffrey Freeland Lee, Joseph Carl Lee, Samuel Thomas Lee, Virginia Kathryn Rivera, and Steven John Lee. Four boys. One girl. Five kids. Six years. Sounds of chaos. Always.
According to diary, in 1963 Janet “Asked for a Bible for Christmas,” and “Consumed it.” In 1965, after her fifth pregnancy, she gave her life to Christ Jesus, with faith and abandon and trusted ever more. Always.
In the early years Janet and Ed moved a lot: from Westmorland (59-64 $8000 bought 1st home “Adobe” and 2nd “Blue”); to Ontario (65-66 Grampa’s rental); to Anaheim (67-68 Ball Road); to Corona (69-72); to Walnut Creek (73-77); to Fresno in 1977 (Roosevelt then Wishon then Sussex Way).
Growing up, the kids took great advantage of the "free range" parenting of the time. With Ed away on sales trips—at times for weeks--Janet kept the wild household fed, bathed, and together.
But Janet was a good mom. She was famous for her birthdays (Kool-Aid and sheet cake), Christmases (stockings:), camping vacations (hot rocks!), back to school shopping trips (all layaway), and beach trips (sunburns). Through all the chaos, Mom made each kid, cousin, neighbor, and friend always feel special, loved, fed, and prayed for...always.
In the Fresno years, Mom put down roots, attended church regularly, and developed her counseling ministry. She loved seeing her kids grow up, go to college or into business, get married, have grandkids (17 of them), and eventually get out of her house:)
As the kids moved out, she gave her life away by caring for her aging mother in law, Effie Lee (Gramma Lee, 1991). At the same time, husband Ed was diagnosed with colon cancer. Just two years later; she lost our Dad Ed at only 55. He was always the head; now she was. Always.
Nanny Jan, as she was known, downsized after Ed’s passing and continued as the family center. It was in the Wishon house that she cared for her mother, our Gramma Kay, until she passed in 2005.
Mom cared for friends and strangers as if they were family. Loving the poor and hopeless--generous to a fault. She could never say no to someone in need. Always kept the door unlocked, always trusted God, always ignored concerns of the kids. Always.
Janet volunteered as a Fresno County Sheriff's Chaplain for years, comforting people in their darkest hour. All who visited her Sussex Way house recognized the ever-present crackle of the police scanner. She always listened so she could pray for the sheriffs, dispatchers, and those in need. Always.
Nanny Jan loved her animals, especially her dogs, who were her "kids." In addition to her unnamed cats and birds, here are the dogs: Muffin, Bell, Choo Choo, Josephine, Sandra, Musty, Sammy, Liesel, Pollyanna, Ruthie, Pooh Bear, Molly, Charlie, Lilly—(and Lilly was laying on her at last breath). Nans always tuned the TV to Animal Planet or CBN before she left the house so her kids wouldn't get lonely:)
NOTE: Nanny Jan was a gardener extraordinaire. Her English garden front yard where she cultivated her plants and fed the birds was a lush sanctuary--a testimony to the neighborhood, a psalm of praise to all Creatures Great and Small.
As her health declined, Nanny Jan moved in with daughter Virginia and son-in-law Frank—yet another big change—nevertheless, she adjusted well and enjoyed 3 wonderful years of family living filled with many precious moments. Always,
Word went out on Friday, August 16th that time had come. The pictures on her bedroom wall came to life as family packed in and out--house alive with voices reminiscing and saying goodbye to their beloved Momma and Nanny Jan.
The great-grandchildren, blissfully unaware of the situation, pounded the hardwood floors with their little feet, making as much noise as they possibly could. It was chaos. Looking back, it was always a chaos of laughter, barking dogs, crying babies, and our lovely singsong Nanny Jan. Always.
Circled around her bed, the family sang "I'll Fly Away" to the strum of a ukulele. None of us will ever forget that moment of joyful sorrow; hope in loss. We held Momma’s hand, stroked her hair and told her it was okay to go. She believed us. At 1:16 Saturday morning, she drew her last breath on earth and her first breath in heaven. We love you our dear Janet, Momma, Nanny Jan. We are so happy for you now. Always.
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