She was born to Stella (Komar) Nelson and Howard Nelson on May 28, 1961. When she was 10, they moved from Niles, IL to Des Plaines, IL where she attended Saint Emily School and Maine West High School. Janice attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, graduating in 1983 with a degree in Business Administration and Marketing. After college, she worked for Brown & Bigelow, an advertising specialties company, before joining United Airlines in 1984. During her 39-year career with UAL, Jan worked in reservations for one year before joining the Pilot Crew Scheduling. She remained in Crew Scheduling for the remaining 38 years. Her career at United allowed her to explore the world, travelling extensively throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, South and Central America, the Caribbean and the Pacific Islands as well as numerous locations in the United States, including her favorite, Hawaii.
Janice was a long-time member of the Independent Order of Svithiod, a Scandinavian Fraternal Organization dedicated to supporting the history and promoting the culture of Scandinavia. She served on the Board of Directors of I.O.S. and held various offices in both Verdandi #3 and Svithiod #1 lodges.
Jan was also on the Board of Directors of the Tibet Girls School located in Yushu, Eastern Tibet. Tibetan girls traditionally are not given any formal education. This non-profit organization helped build a school and provided supplies, teachers and housing for nomad Himalayan Tibetan girls from ages 13-18. The goal was to teach computer skills and other marketable skills to help the girls contribute to society and earn their own living outside of Yushu.
Jan was a long-time member of Saint Emily Catholic Church.
Janice was preceded in death by her parents, Stella and Howard Nelson, her brother Arthur and infant sister, Karen. She is survived by her husband, Warren, sons Zachery (Stephanie) Marrs of St. Charles, Illinois and John (Patricia) Marrs of Eagle River, Alaska, grandchildren Tommy and Mary Marrs and Aiden Hensley, loving family, childhood and lifelong friends and her faithful Beagle, Lily.
Friends and family will gather for a visitation for Jan that will be held Thursday, November 2nd, 2023, 3pm - 8pm at Oehler Funeral Home, 2099 Miner Street, Des Plaines, Illinois 60016. A visitation will also be held on Friday, November 3rd, at 9:30 am until time of funeral mass at 10:30am at Saint Emily Catholic Church, 1400 East Central Road, Mount Prospect, Illinois. Interment will be private.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to the Independent Order of Svithiod, 5518 West Lawrence Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60630.
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