Janice Hensley

With broken hearts we share with you the passing of our beautiful mom, Janice “Jan” Hensley. She passed peacefully at her home where she was happiest, more than any place on earth; surrounded by the love of her family on September 29, 2024. She was under the care of Knute Nelson Hospice She courageously fought the awful disease of Alzhiemers for better than 12 years. Janice Mae (Allen) was born March 7, 1940, in rural New York Mills, MN, to Alice and Robert C. Allen Sr. Mom mostly grew up in Villard, where she attended school. We heard lots of fun stories about what an amazing tumbler she was and that they had her ride a big flatbed in parades so she could walk on her hands and show off her skills! Janice met Jerome “Jerry” Hensley and they were married in April 1960. They raised four children. Living in suburbs of the cities in their early years of marriage they took us on camping and canoeing trips on the Crow Wing River in the Huntersville area. This is where they fell in love with the area and on living away from the Twin Cities. In 1972, they found their dream property on the Leaf River and built our family home where Mom still lived. In 1986, Mom and Dad had to endure what no parent ever should have to experience, the loss of their 22 year old daughter. Mom never recovered from that pain and grief. For many years Mom and Dad wintered in Margate, FL, on a golf course where she kept busy walking, swimming, bowling and shopping with the ladies. Although golfing was Dad's passion, Mom would go with the ladies some but not every waking moment like Dad. They went snorkeling and scuba diving, on cruises, and to concerts to see Andre’ Bocelli. They went to Alaska a few times in the motor home and met up with their son, Jeff for some fishing. They drove the Alaskan Highway and recorded the whole thing on video tape which is so fun to hear and watch now. They took their 4-wheelers to the mountains in Montana with friends and visited Jason in Arizona. As much as Mom loved all their adventures she was always glad to get home and see her bears that came through the yard. Again, video tapes of her talking to them! Mom loved her family and the family reunions where she always liked to get a shoe-kicking game going. It was crazy but she loved it and could kick the furthest! Mom loved time with her grandchildren; teaching them to drive in the Granny truck, and showing them up in her target shooting skills. If a gopher popped his head out of his hole she could usually shoot them, too. Her grandchildren love that property as much as she did. She tried to attend all of their football, baseball and softball games and school activities. She loved dressing up for Halloween and taking them trick or treating. She was still walking on her hands when they were in high school. Mom loved her music. It was a constant in her life. We have memories of her putting the quadrophonic speakers on the back patio and getting us kids to rake the yard and pick up sticks while the music was blaring. Even these past 5 years when she wasn't talking to us anymore hearing Elvis would light up her smile like she was 20 again. She had the most amazing smile in every picture you see. She was a firecracker, caring and compassionate with her huge heart. She was the caretaker in many scenarios, often giving her family a soft place to land while they figured out what they were going to do next. Mom was preceded in death by her parents; daughter, Jillene “Jill”; husband, Jerry; sisters, Patsy Allen, Dee Eggert, Phyllis Sapp; and brother, Robert C. Allen Jr. Those left to cherish her memory are her daughter, Janell and James Carr; sons, Jeff Hensley and Jason Hensley; son in-law David Zapata; sisters: Peggy Werden, Vick Johnson, Tulip Abelson, Cookie Walter, and Diane Johnson; grandsons; Mitch Carr, Wyatt (Abby) Carr, and Jessie Hensley; granddaughter, Tori; and her little dollies who called her “GG”: Lilly, Aubrey and Jameson. We will miss our Mom. She was our rock and a best friend to each of us. We are eternally grateful for Jeff stepping into the role as primary care giver these last 8 years, a job he excelled at in good times and in bad. In lieu of cards or flowers we ask that you rejoice with us as she is now at peace and reunited with her husband and daughter, along with all her loved ones, family, and friends that have passed before her If you would like, make a donation to Knute Nelson Hospice. As per Mom's wishes, we will be having a private family celebration at a later date. Janell, Jeff and Jason.

Janice Hensley

March 7, 1940 - September 29, 2024