Janice Gertrude Jeffords

Janice (Rhomberg) Jeffords was born in Minneapolis, MN, on November 19, 1935, joining her brother, Robert. Soon after she was born, her parents, George and Florence, relocated their young family to the San Francisco Bay area. The family lived in the beautiful community of Little River, on the California coast, while her father, George, worked at the naval shipyards in Vallejo, CA. Their family welcomed twin sisters, Jean and Jane, and their home increased in noise and laughter. Janice’s family eventually moved to Vallejo, where Janice graduated from Vallejo High School. It was while in high school that Janice met George Jeffords and they were married in Biloxi, MS, on December 11, 1953, while George was stationed at Keesler Air Force Base. Soon after their wedding, George and Janice moved to George AFB, CA. Janice and George spent over a year apart while George was deployed to France and Libya. After serving for four years, George decided to leave the USAF and return to San Francisco, where he started working for the Pacific Bell Phone Company.

It was while living in the Bay area that Janice and George welcomed their three children, Mark, Karen, and Scott. Janice always looked forward to their annual family vacations to the Rocky Mountains and before long, George transferred to the Mountain Bell Phone Company, where Janice and George built a new home in north Boulder and raised their children. Janice found strength and encouragement through spending time with extended family members and their many new friends at the Boulder South Broadway Church of the Nazarene. Janice enjoyed watching and supporting her kids at many school events, band concerts, church programs, athletic games, and scouting (Boys & Girls). Many camping trips, hikes, ice skating, cross-country ski trips, and many CU football games were enjoyed in Colorado.

Janice delighted in being a full-time homemaker and mother. Once her children were older she decided to work at the Junior High school they attended, always sharing her smile with the students. She also worked for Leaning Tree and a local department store to help add money to the family budget. However, Janice found her true passion after taking some flower arranging classes. Her beautiful arrangements were made for Freuhauf’s and Nelson’s Flowers in Boulder where she enjoyed working for many years.

Throughout her life, Janice was actively involved in several churches, including the San Anselmo Church of the Nazarene in California, the Boulder South Broadway Church of the Nazarene (where she led children’s programs, was active in music, and helped George lead the Annual Colorado District Laymen’s retreats), and the Boulder First Presbyterian Church, where Janice was active for years in the Sewing Circle where she loved making quilts and sewing projects to sell for missions. She and George also thoroughly enjoyed participating in the Mariners’ 55+ group.

Janice also found great joy in a variety of hobbies, including gardening, quilting, scrapbooking, bowling, and traveling. She had special memories of an Alaskan Cruise, trips to Hawaii, the Azores Islands in Portugal, Scotland, and England. She especially looked forward to spending time with family and friends at the family cabin in Grand Lake.

Janice was known for her deep devotion to her family. She enjoyed spending as much time as possible with her grandchildren, Elliot, Anna, Andrew, Benjamin, Alyssa, Kelsie and great grandsons, Peter and Arkin. Janice had a servant’s heart and was always focused upon others, never upon herself. She found great joy in helping others and making people feel appreciated and comfortable.

Janice is survived by her three children; Mark (Diane) Jeffords, Karen (Bryan) Hochhalter, and Scott (Angie) Jeffords; six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her husband, George Jeffords, siblings Robert Rhomberg, Jean Crawford and Jane Russell, and her parents, George & Florence Rhomberg.

Donations can be made in her honor to the Cystic Fibrosis Lifestyle Foundation, Grace Commons Church, Boulder, CO or the Diabetes Foundation.

A celebration service for Janice will be held Wednesday, December 30, 2020 at 12:00 PM at Green Mountain Cemetery, Boulder, CO.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.cristmortuary.com for the Jeffords family.