Janice was always so sweet; that smile was almost always there. She was one of those people who was nice to every person she came in contact with - a gentle soul.
Stan Gerke lived just down Bench Boulevard from us. He and my brother, Larry, were buddies, being classmates since first grade at Hawthorne School, so I grew up with Stan and his brilliant antics. Stan and Jan married not long after Milt and I did and we became "married with kids" friends. We played lots of cards and listened to comedy albums together They had Bryan and Kevin. We had Todd, Christopher and Sara. Our nights out were at each other's houses, usually putting the guest kids to sleep on the couches. Jan taught me the trick of making iced tea ice cubes to put into your iced tea so that the drink wouldn't dilute as the ice melted. They lived in a house on the 700 block of Lewis Avenue and one night, playing cards at their kitchen table, Jan and I had an 1800 pinochle hand, the only one I have seen in my sketchy card history. Stan worked as a surveyor and moved up in his career with the state and with the union. Jan didn't work while the kids were young. Stan's career took them to Helena, where we visited a couple of times and toured their garden that grew the greatest broccoli I have ever seen. We lost touch except through Christmas letters. That's how we learned that they had divorced, and eventually that Jan had succumbed to a liver ailment. Stan remarried, but Jan didn't, that I know of. Her boys were by her side during her last days and passing. She was a great mom and homemaker. Not close friends in high school, just classmates, Jan and I became very good friends during those years following high school. Our friendship left many fond memories in its wake. Stan's heart gave out and he, too, is gone.
The reunion and web site just seem to keep making more and more people’s lives better/richer/happier. Kudos to Hop, who posted the original information about Janice and thus launched this kind and thoughtful thread that her son discovered and mentioned to Milo . . .
Jim Hopper
I found this information for Janice Loggins Gerke. She and Stanley Gerke were married in 1966.
She died in 1996 in Seattle and is buried in Sunset Gardens in Billings
Does anyone know more about Janice?
David Butler
Kim Nybo Gambish recently sent this note:
Marla Connor (Davenport)
Janice was friends with many classmates. It is sad to hear that she passed away so young!!
Julie Hehn
Janice was always so sweet; that smile was almost always there. She was one of those people who was nice to every person she came in contact with - a gentle soul.
Jim Hopper
These comments are from Gloria Fields Wester:
Stan Gerke lived just down Bench Boulevard from us. He and my brother, Larry, were buddies, being classmates since first grade at Hawthorne School, so I grew up with Stan and his brilliant antics. Stan and Jan married not long after Milt and I did and we became "married with kids" friends. We played lots of cards and listened to comedy albums together They had Bryan and Kevin. We had Todd, Christopher and Sara. Our nights out were at each other's houses, usually putting the guest kids to sleep on the couches. Jan taught me the trick of making iced tea ice cubes to put into your iced tea so that the drink wouldn't dilute as the ice melted. They lived in a house on the 700 block of Lewis Avenue and one night, playing cards at their kitchen table, Jan and I had an 1800 pinochle hand, the only one I have seen in my sketchy card history. Stan worked as a surveyor and moved up in his career with the state and with the union. Jan didn't work while the kids were young. Stan's career took them to Helena, where we visited a couple of times and toured their garden that grew the greatest broccoli I have ever seen. We lost touch except through Christmas letters. That's how we learned that they had divorced, and eventually that Jan had succumbed to a liver ailment. Stan remarried, but Jan didn't, that I know of. Her boys were by her side during her last days and passing. She was a great mom and homemaker. Not close friends in high school, just classmates, Jan and I became very good friends during those years following high school. Our friendship left many fond memories in its wake. Stan's heart gave out and he, too, is gone.
Michael (Milo) Carbis
greetings All,
today, i received this message from Kevin Gerke;
"Hi there, I am the youngest son of Janice and Stan Gerke.
I was googling and found the page about her.
It is so cool to hear nice things said about my mom.
Brian and I miss her a lot.
I never knew her friends from before we were born."
David Butler
The reunion and web site just seem to keep making more and more people’s lives better/richer/happier. Kudos to Hop, who posted the original information about Janice and thus launched this kind and thoughtful thread that her son discovered and mentioned to Milo . . .