Janice Lida Dewees Hanson of Huntingdon Valley, PA passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family and dear friend Judy on Wednesday, August 19, 2009 at Abington Hospital Hospice in Warminster at the age of 80.
Janice was born on September 12, 1928 to Raymond and Grace (Gervin) Dewees at home in Bloomfield, NJ. Her family moved to Newportville, PA in 1931 where she resided until 1954.
Janice graduated from Bristol High School class of 1946. She pursued her education at West Chester University where she received her B.S. in Elementary Education in 1950. In 1971 Janice became a member of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society which honors outstanding educators internationally. Janice continued her passion for education and completed her Masters Degree from Bloomsburg University in 1985. She continued her education with an additional 21 credits from Penn State University, Temple University and Leigh University.
Walking home from high school, Janice met Gustav Jared Hanson. They were married on December 29, 1951 at Eddington Presbyterian Church in Eddington, PA. They honeymooned in New York City and spent New Year’s Eve in Time Square. Gus and Janice had two sons, Robert Jared and Gregg Gustav.
As a child, Janice dreamed of living near Willow Grove Park. In 1958 she and Gus moved to Upper Moreland where they both dedicated their lives to the township. Gus as Chairman of the Zoning and Hearing Board , member of the Township Planning Commission and Administrator of the School Transportation System. In 1962 Janice began teaching second grade at Cold Spring Elementary School. In 1973 when the Round Meadow Elementary School was built, Janice transferred to the new school and began teaching fourth grade. In 1979 – 1980 Janice was teacher assistant to the principal at Round Meadow. Janice was a key supervisory teacher in the district. She also taught Continuing Education Courses to her peers in the Upper Moreland school district. Janice taught in the Upper Moreland School District for 30 years before retiring in 1992. After retirement Janice enjoyed working with her son and his business partner Leigh at Renu Labs where she was a friend and mentor to all. Janice was a resident of Upper Moreland for more than 50 years.
From early childhood, Janice enjoyed spending her summers in Ocean City, NJ. She had a lifelong passion for the beach. Janice shared her childhood summers with her cousins and their families in Ocean City. She continued enjoying her passion with her sons, daughters-in-law and grandchildren building sand castles, combing the beach, walking and riding bicycles on the boardwalk in Ocean City.
Janice was a loving mother, a doting “gram”, best friend and mentor to her son Gregg Sr., his wife Colleen and their children Gregg Jr. and Grace; and her son Robert Sr., his wife Doris and their son Robert Jr. In addition to her sons and their families, Janice is survived by her dear cousins Marilyn East (Huck) of New Bern, NC, Nancy Wires (Ed) of Palm City, FL (“The Golden Girls”) and Joyce Willis (Dave) of Warminster, PA. Janice had a special love for her brother-in-law James Hanson, her sister-in-law Mary Dawn Dewiest (Raymond), her three nephews Derek, Chris and Ben Dewiest, her sister-in-law Joan Hanson (Robert) and her niece Cindy Hanson.
Janice wanted to express her affection to those on “the list”. You all know who you are.
Janice was preceded in death by her husband Gus in 1988, her parents Raymond and Grace Dewees, her brother Colonel Raymond Dewees Jr. (Mary Dawn), her brother-in-law Robert Hanson (Joan), her cousin Barry Mason (Joan) and Huck East (Marilyn) for all of whom she had a special love.
Family and friends are invited to her viewing on Thursday, August 27 from 9:30 – 11:00 a.m. at the Bucks County Seventh Day Adventist Church, 10 Green Street, Warminster. A service will be held at 11:00. Internment will follow at North Woods Cemetery in Cheltenham.
As a lifelong lover of education, Janice requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Janice Hanson Memorial Educational Trust for her grandchildren. Donations can be made c/o Harleysville National Bank, 1555 W. Street Road, Warminster, PA 18974, (215) 674-4260.
Arrangements by John J. Bryers Funeral Home