Janice K. Anderson

Janice K. Anderson, age 86, of Hayward, WI, died on Sunday, March 22, 2020 at St. Mary's Medical Center in Duluth, MN. She was born on March 8, 1934 in rural Pierson, IA, the daughter of Otto and Charlotte (Toedt) Will. Janice graduated from Pierson High School in 1951. She received her B.S. degree in Elementary Education from Wartburg College, Waverly, IA, in 1956. She married her Wartburg College classmate, Dean Anderson, from Prairie du Sac, WI in  1956. Later they attended the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, where Janice received a M.S. degree in Education in 1963. She has also attended Morningside College, Sioux City, IA, the University of Minnesota, and the University of Wisconsin.

Early teaching careers included teaching grade two in Mason City, IA, Minneapolis, MN and Waverly, IA. Jan and her husband, Dean, came to Beloit, WI in 1958 to become educators in the Beloit Public Schools. She taught grades two and three in Merrill and Converse Elementary Schools from 1958 to 1967. Jan gave birth to her only child, Scott Anderson, on July 27, 1967. Jan was an elementary Reading Specialist for the Beloit Public Schools from 1970 until her retirement in 1996. During this time she has worked within 12 elementary schools, with the most recent being McLenegan, Gaston, Hackett and Royce. She taught remedial reading part-time from 1996 until 2004, working primarily at McLenegan Elementary School. Jan was a member of the Beloit Educational Association, National Education Association, South Kettle Moraine Reading Council and International Reading Association. She has been involved with St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Delta Kappa Gamma and Altrusa.

A major challenge for her was managing Type 1 diabetes, which she acquired after teaching three weeks in 1955. In 2005, she was awarded a 50 Year Medal from Joslin Diabetic Center, Boston, MA, for this achievement. She enjoyed traveling in 49 states, and especially trips to the Bahamas, Germany, Switzerland and Austria with her husband, Dean. Hobbies have included sewing, gardening, canoeing, hiking and teaching young children to read.

While residing in southern Wisconsin for most of her life, she moved to Hayward, WI in 2016 to be closer to the family's lake side cottage that they purchased in 1967. Many summers were spent at the cottage on Lac Courte Oreilles Lake near Hayward, WI. She enjoyed living in Hayward and recently spent time helping children read at the Hayward Primary School. She kept busy in Hayward and enjoyed takin the Senior Center Bus around town as well as frequenting Hayward's numerous dining spots with friends.

Janice is survived by her son, Scott (Theresa Wilson) Anderson of Hayward, WI. Other survivors include a sister-in-law, Irene (Anderson) Brockmann of Cross Plains, WI; and two nephews, Dennis (JoAnn) Brockmann of Vancouver, WA and Calvin (JoAnn) Brockmann of Oak Creek, WI and their families as well as cousins in Iowa.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Otto and Charlotte Will; and her husband of 58 years, Dean Anderson.

Memorials may be given in her name to the American Diabetes Association or the American Heart Association.