Janice Jeane Heslop, age 79, formerly of Neosho Falls, unexpectedly passed away Monday, Sept. 26, 2022, at KUMC, Kansas City, Kan. She was surrounded by her loving family. Jan was born Aug. 2, 1943, in Beloit, to Chester A. Johnson and Edna F. (Martin) DeVader. After her father died, Jan’s mother married Francis DeVader, who cared for and helped raise her.
Jan graduated in 1961 from Emmett High School, Emmett. She met Daryl Heslop at a church bazaar in Emmett and they were married there on June 24, 1961, at Holy Cross Church. They made their home in Topeka, where they raised their family and later moved to rural Neosho Falls.
After raising her four children in Topeka, Jan returned to school and graduated from the nursing school at Neosho County Community College, Chanute. She worked her entire career as a registered nurse at Osawatomie State Hospital.
Jan was a member of the Citizen Band Potawatomi Tribe of Oklahoma and was very proud of her Native American heritage. She was a lifetime member of the Democratic Party and participated in many political activities.
Jan was dedicated to her grandchildren and attended as many of their activities as possible. She was passionate about gardening and was a certified master gardener.
Jan was also an avid crafter and loved doing crossword puzzles and solving Sudokus.
Jan was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; brother, Dennis DeVader, and grandson, James Christopher Schmidt.
Jan is survived by her children, Cabrini (Mike) Plummer, Fredonia, Craig (Tammy) Heslop, Melvern, Valerie (J.P.) Wright, Lawrence, and Erin Dix, Riverside, Mo.; grandchildren, April (Jesse) Mitchell, Jonathan Schmidt, Matthew (Taylor) Bollig, Tyler Wright, Alyssa (Tanner) Eustice, Daniel Heslop, Luke (Whitney) Plummer, Micaela Plummer, Jacob (Heather) Rhoads, Julie (John Gengler) Heslop, Jason Bollig, Kaileigh (Jacob) Dickey, Paul Bollig, Parker Wright, Jayden Ademiluyi; 10 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandson; sisters, Ingrid Kelly and Lisa Gerhardt; and brothers, Dan DeVader, Henry DeVader, Pete DeVader, Doug DeVader and Marty DeVader.
A memorial service to honor Jan’s life will be at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 4, in the chapel at Feuerborn Family Funeral Service, 1883 U.S. 54, Iola. Inurnment will be at a later time in Cedarvale Cemetery, Neosho Falls.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to the Daryl and Janice Heslop Memorial Fund, which may be left with Feuerborn Funeral Service. The memorial fund was established for the purpose of building an outdoor concrete basketball court and for the maintenance of Jan’s flower garden at the Neosho Valley Senior Center, Neosho Falls.
Condolences may be left at www.feuerbornfuneral.com.
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