Janice Marjorie Edmister

  Janice Marjorie (Irvin) Edmister passed away peacefully on December 7, 2024, in Great Falls Montana. She was born June 29, 1942, to Joseph and Marjorie (Grieve) Irvin of Shelby, Montana. Her sister, Nancy, always wanted a little sister since there were already 2 brothers Dick and Dwayne. As the years passed, her childhood was filled with many family events which came to be stories handed down through the years. Every other year, her mother and the children would go to Plainview Minnesota to visit her mother's family. Janice formed a very special bond with her Grandma Grieve. During Janice's eighth grade year, her mother suffered a heart attack while Joe, Marjorie, and Janice were traveling to Minnesota where Marjorie passed away in 1956. Janice was the last remaining sibling in the house at that time, Nancy would become an even bigger part of Janice's life.

 Throughout high school Janice was active in school, church, and the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls. Janice graduated from Shelby High School in 1960 and on August 25, 1962, she married her high school sweetheart, Dale Edmister, at St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Shelby. They both attended Northern Montana College in Havre where Janice graduated in 1964 with a BS in Elementary Education.

Dale and Janice moved to Malta, Montana, where both were teachers, Janice teaching a third-fourth grade combination and Dale teaching English and History in the High School. On November 20, 1967, they welcomed their first son Eric Robert. On April 5, 1970, they would welcome their second son Jason David. After spending time at home raising her sons and watching many of the neighborhood children, Janice returned to education in 1977, teaching full-time at Dodson, Montana. Through the years, Janice taught grades 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. She formed a very special bond with her students.

In 1981, Dale and Janice divorced where Janice focused her life in loving her 2 sons, nieces, nephews, and all her students. Janice was an active member of the Malta Lutheran Church for many years and her faith shined brightly to all of those that knew her. Jan was known for her smile and warm, fun-loving and gregarious nature.

She loved dogs and any dog that was lucky enough to belong to Janice had a long and spoiled life. She was a friend to all, she nourished and sustained many wonderful friendships in her lifetime, she was always quick to pick up the phone and call, keeping in touch with all of them. The light of her life were her sons and grandchildren.

Janice is survived by her brother, Dwayne (Jan) Irvin; son, Eric (Melissa) Edmister and their children, Emily, Erica, and Noah; son, Jason (Lisa) Edmister and their children, Sawyer (Sara), Emily Rose, and Faith. She has one great-granddaughter, Leyla. She is preceded in death by her brother, Dick Irvin; sister, Nancy Irvin; and parents, Joe and Marjorie Irvin.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, December 21, at 10:00 am at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Shelby. A reception at the church will follow the burial.