In Loving Memory of Janice Marie Smith

Janice Marie Smith, age 71, died on Tuesday, February 21, 2023, in Clayton, New Mexico.

Memorial services are pending at this time.

Janice Marie Smith was born March 29, 1951, in Clayton, NM to Harold P. and Wanda Marie (Earle) Smith. Janice was the oldest of 4 children. She lived in Clayton, NM, and attended Clayton schools through Jr. High. She was active in Methodist youth fellowship, Future Homemakers of America, Girl Scouts, school band, and as a candy striper at the Clayton Hospital. (Her dream job was to be a pediatric nurse). While she was in H.S. the family moved to Felt, OK where she was active in the school band and the Methodist Youth Group. Janice took some sort of music lessons from the time she was 9 yrs. old. She thought of her Aunt Pattie McDaniel as her mentor and inspiration. Pattie taught her piano, accordion, voice, and music theory every Tuesday evening. They would then practice the music for Sunday church services where Janice would play the piano and Pattie the organ. Janice was raised with music in her life starting with the extended family sing-a-longs at her Grandmother Smith’s house on Sundays and singing with her brothers Ron and Bernard in grade school. Later singing duets with Ron, and the family quartet with her dad, mom, and Ron, adding little sister Cheryl later. They sang at many functions and Janice played piano for many weddings and events along the way. Janice attended college from 1969-1973 at Panhandle State College majoring in Music Education with a degree in both vocal and instrumental music. She was active in the A cappella choir, and chamber choir, and played “Aunt Eller” in the musical “Oklahoma”. One summer she was in the musical “Texas” at Palo Duro Canyon. Janice was active in Tau Beta Sigma and the Student Education Association while in college. Janice taught school for many years starting her teaching career in Texline, TX. She moved up north to Cheylin School district in Bird City, KS where she taught K-5 music and art. Janice loved Square Dance and was active for several years in a Square Dance club while in Bird City. She moved to Rolla, KS where she taught K-4 music and art and English as a Second Language. During the first couple of years in Rolla she also had H.S. band duty until they hired a full-time band director. Janice wrote and produced many of the school music programs she did while at Rolla. She was active as a girl scout leader and started a Children’s Choir at the local Methodist Church. She was a proud member of a women’s trio group called (PAWPS) Practice As We Perform Singers and considered Dorothy and Racheal as very special friends for life. Janice moved to Kinsley, KS, and spent her last 2 years teaching at a Catholic School there. Janice not only taught music at school, but she also gave private lessons to anyone who wanted to learn to play guitar, piano or accordion. She was said to be able to pick up almost any instrument and figure out how to play it. She enjoyed attending and working at Church youth camps and usually was in charge of the music for various camps she attended.
Janice moved to Clayton to live in the early 1990s and lived there until she moved briefly to Hugoton, then on to Guymon where she helped with her mother. She lived in Guymon until she moved most recently to the Clayton Nursing and Rehab Center. She loved to travel, enjoyed meeting people, learning new things, doing crossword puzzles, reading, watching old western movies, and listening to music. She introduced her Nephews to Musicals and Walt Disney movies by taking them to see them which provided her a lot of joy. Janice said she never had children of her own, but she got to enjoy and watch many children grow up through her teaching and her nephews.
Janice was proceeded in death by her grandparents: George and Anne (Winchester) Smith and Kenneth and Velora (Stockton) Earle and her parents Harold P. and Wand M. (Earle) Smith.

She is survived by 2 brothers Ronald E. Smith of Goodwell, OK, and Bernard L. Smith (wife Sue) of Hugoton, KS. 1 sister: Cheryl A. O’Keeffe (Husband Dennis) of Lawton, OK. 4 nephews: Sam Smith, Guymon, OK, Anthony Smith (Wife Jenn) Amarillo, TX, Matt Kottke, Yuma, AZ and Ben Smith (Wife Maria) of Hugoton, KS. She had one Great-nephew Jude Smith, in Amarillo, TX. Special mention to Sara McDallen, Indiana who she called her bonus daughter.