Janice Nadine (Ellison) Flynn

Janice Nadine Flynn (nee’ Ellison) born on Saturday, June 29, 1935, during the depression to a Norwegian immigrant and a first generation Norwegian/American, John and Sophie (Jacobson) Ellison.  She passed away on Tuesday, November 22, 2022, surrounded by her daughters and her grandson.  She is survived by her daughters, Debra Read (husband, Dennis), and Trudi Flynn; her grandson, Corey Lambert; and her niece, Diana Schmidt, and her family.  She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Sophie Ellison; her husband, Kenneth Flynn; her daughter, Robin Flynn; her brother, Larry Ellison; sister-in-law, Rita Ellison; her granddaughter, Laney Williams; and her son, Duke Flynn.

As a child, she and her brother helped their mother gather and straighten nails from scrap lumber to aid her parents in the building of their family home in the 1940’s.  In her youth she was a dancer/instructor, enjoyed horseback riding, ice skating on a pond with her family near their home and had ‘potlucks’ with her girlfriends.  In high school, she was a drum majorette, and met her high school sweetheart, Kenneth.  They married in 1953 and lived in Fargo, North Dakota while Ken attended NDSU and Janice raised their first-born daughter, Debra.  Upon Ken’s graduation in 1957, they relocated to New Mexico to raise their then growing family.

Janice was a wonderful, humble stay at home mom, who was primary caregiver to her daughter, Robin, in her recovery from cancer, waiting to work outside the home until her children were well into school.  She poured all her wisdom, kindness, and love into her family – she was an incredible role model.  Jan was an avid gardener, an amazing cook and baker, a recognized seamstress for ACLOA for 10 years, a skier and a meticulous documenter of her life and that of her family.  Jan enjoyed watching sports, especially basketball beginning with Ken in high school, through college and Senior Olympics, Lobo basketball and her grandson play high school basketball.  Jan was a member of the Sanado Club where she formed many lasting friendships.  She maintained so many relationships through her letter writing and visiting friends and family. She traveled her children every summer to North Dakota to visit relatives and would map out different routes to see the sights of America and expose her children to many National Parks, sightseeing, and visiting of extended family across the U.S.  Upon her retirement from Gardenswartz Team Sales, she continued her gardening, enjoyed her koi pond, took up genealogy, scrapbooking, playing cards weekly with her friends and she and Ken travelled internationally.

Thank you to the staff past and present at Morningstar of Albuquerque where Janice resided. A Gathering of Remembrance will occur at Morningstar, 8051 Palomas NE, December 13, 2022, 2:30 – 3:30pm.