FAIRMONT — A Celebration of Life service for Janice “Jan” N. (Hotzler) Hiebert, age 91, of Fairmont, Minn., will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020, at United Methodist Church in Fairmont, with interment in Lake Belt Cemetery, Ceylon, Minn.

Visitation and a time of sharing memories with the family will be from 4-7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31, at Lakeview Funeral Home in Fairmont, and one hour prior to the service Saturday at the church.

Janice passed away Monday evening, Jan. 13, 2020, at Ingleside Memory Care in Fairmont.

Lakeview Funeral Home in Fairmont is assisting the family with arrangements.

Janice was born Aug. 6, 1928, in Mountain Lake, Minn., the daughter of Bernhard (Barney) and Wilhelmina (Minnie) Hotzler. Jan grew up in Mountain Lake. She attended school in Mt. Lake and was proud of playing clarinet in the band. She graduated from Mt. Lake High school in 1946.

Janice married Delevan Hiebert June 20, 1948, in the Bingham Lake Methodist Church. The next three years, they lived in the teachers college barracks in Mankato until Del graduated in 1951. During that time, Janice worked in the business office of Overson Lumber Company. They returned to Bingham Lake until 1954, when Del began his career in education at Sioux Valley High School in Sioux Valley, Minn.

It has been said the behind every successful man is a great woman and that was so true of Janice. She was Del’s greatest supporter, never missing an athletic event, washing and mending jerseys and uniforms, and preparing treats and lunches for his athletes. She worked as a seamstress at home, making clothing for her family and several others who found clothing difficult to purchase.

In 1962, she went to work as an accountant for Winchell and Associates in Worthington. She audited financial books for area schools, hospitals and local businesses. She enjoyed joking with people that she had been to jail because that was where she sat while auditing the county financial records.

In 1967, Del and Janice moved to Ceylon, Minn., where he began his administrative career in the Ceylon School District. While living in Ceylon, Jan started as the bookkeeper and later became the manager of the grain elevator until her retirement. As manager, she stepped into a role that was primarily for men, but she proved that women had a place as leaders in the business world. She “broke the glass ceiling” before there ever was talk about one.

Del and Jan made their home in Ceylon until 2014, when due to health concerns they moved to Fairmont, Minn.

Jan was a long-time member of several civic organizations, in which she held many leadership positions: Nassen-Detert American Legion Auxiliary Unit 529 and the Sioux Valley American Legion Auxiliary Unit (including positions at the district level) and the Ceylon Historical Society.

Jan’s faith in God and belief in the power of prayer was seen as the dementia took so much from her; she still knew and seemed to understand that God was with her. She was a member of the United Methodist Church; serving in many leadership roles, women’s organizations, and taught Sunday School in the churches she attended: Bingham Lake, Minn., Lake Park, Iowa, Ceylon and Fairmont, Minn.

Family and friends were the biggest part of her life. She loved to entertain, hosting family picnics and holiday gatherings for Del’s associates, entertaining her workers and friends, traveling with friends and family, planning special events at the Legion, and became known as the “Pie Lady” to many at church and community events. She loved to bake and took pride in her sour cream raisin and lemon meringue pies. Jan always had the coffee pot on and a plate of cookies or bars for anyone who happened to stop by.

Left to cherish her memory are her family: daughter, Karen (Claire) Anderson of Columbia, Ill.; son, Thomas (Wendy) of Fountain City, Wis.; one grandson, David (Kelly) Anderson of Brandon, S.D.; three granddaughters, Pamela (Brent) Jones of St. Louis, Mo., Laurie Hiebert of Maple Grove, Minn., and Jill Hiebert of Marshfield, Wis.; sister, Odette (Janzen) Fast, of Fairmont, Minn.; great-grandsons, Ethan and Wyatt Anderson of Brandon, S.D., Maxwell and Christopher Jones of St. Louis, Mo.; as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws, extended family and friends.

Jan was preceded in death by her husband, Delevan in 2016; her parents, Barney and Minnie Hotzler; parents-in-law, Frank and Dorothy Hiebert; sister, Gwendolyn Kozisek; brothers, Orrin, Owen, Orlo (Buzz) and Gary Hotzler; an infant son at birth; and many extended family members.

The family would like to express its special and sincere thanks and gratitude to Pastor Tony Fink, the nurses and staff at Ingleside Memory Care, UHD hospice care, Lakeview Funeral Home, and the many friends and neighbors who have supported Del and Jan and their family during their many life transitions.

Memorial gifts in Jan’s memory can be designated to an educational foundation scholarship in memory of Del and Jan and the Fairmont United Methodist Church.

www.lakeviewfuneralhome.net

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