Janice Gates - obituary

Janice Barbara Gates, 76, of Kenyon, died Friday, July 21, 2017, at Zumbrota Care Center. Janice was born Jan. 18, 1941, at Northfield Hospital to Joseph and Dorothy (Hutchinson) Hoidahl. The family lived in Cannon Falls. As a young child, the family moved to the Sogn Valley area and lived above the Nansen Cheese Factory. She attended country school until the eighth grade when she moved into the town of Kenyon. There, she met her future husband. She was confirmed at Vang Lutheran Church, rural Dennison. She graduated from Kenyon High School in 1958. Janice married Don Gates on Oct. 13, 1959, in Biloxi, Miss. Being a military family, they lived in Madison Wis., New York, Montgomery, Ala., and Colorado Springs, Colo., before finally coming back to Kenyon in 1975.

Janice was a homemaker while her children were growing up. She held a number of jobs — welder at Foldcraft, owned and operated DJ's Rec in Kenyon, worked for Dexmar, and finally Midwest of Cannon Falls. She retired to spend time with her husband. They enjoyed traveling until Don's deteriorating health. She also enjoyed attending sports events for her children and grandchildren, having lunch dates with high school classmates and the "Golden Girls." She was an avid reader and enjoyed word puzzles. She is survived by her four children, Debbie (Randy) Eggert, Laurie (Sterling) Sibley, Donald J. Gates and John Gates, all of Kenyon; grandchildren, Jeremy (Toni) Eggert, Shauna (Bradley) Johnson, Ethan (Jana) Eggert, Rachel (Omar) Casanova, Tyler Eggert, Tanner Gates and Anna Gates; great-grandchildren, Logan Meyers, Cooper, Gracie and Jacob Johnson, Abel and Scarlett Eggert, Ondre, Angelena and Raina Casanova; her sister, Diane Erno; sister-in-law, Mary Danielson-Gates; brother-in-law, Rick Gates; nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Don Gates; and infant granddaughter, Christy Sibley. Visitation will be from noon to 2 p.m. Wednesday, July 26, at First Evangelical Lutheran Church, Kenyon. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the church, with the Rev. Marvin Kormann officiating. Interment will be in the Kenyon Cemetery. Memorials are preferred to Kenyon Veteran's Color Guard or donor's choice. Michaelson Funeral Home is handling arrangements.

From: https://www.postbulletin.com/tributes/obituaries/janice-gates----kenyon/article_16e98a03-ae81-56f8-af12-67b581d6a999.html