Janice Ellen Dean

Janice Ellen Owen Dean was born January 23, 1938, in Oklahoma City, OK to Sidney Kincaid Owen and Ollie Lavada Holland Owen. She was raised with her two older brothers, Rodney and Tully Owen, and their family were long time members of Grace Baptist Church. At age 5 ½, after a Sunday morning church service, Janice understood that she was a lost sinner and that according to the Bible there was only one way to be saved. After talking to her dad, she prayed and asked Jesus Christ to be her Savior. She was baptized a week later in Belle Isle Lake by Pastor Ben Ethridge.

Janice graduated from Central High School in 1956 and worked at Southwestern Bell Telephone Company and First Capital Corporation. On January 20, 1968, she married Bill Dean, who was an army veteran of WWII and was employed by Scrivner Stevens Company. God blessed their marriage with her only child, Henry (“Hank”), on October 7, 1972. Hank was born with brain damage at birth, after a difficult delivery. After a long illness with Parkinson’s Disease, her husband passed in 1987, and Janice was widowed at age 49.

Janice was a dedicated and loving mother and homemaker. Hank was the joy and love of her life. She cared for him with all her heart, attending to all his special needs, learning to communicate with him by sign language, understanding his personality, and visiting him often when it was time for him to move to a group home as a young man. She often thanked God for the strength and health to fulfill her God-given responsibilities.

Janice described herself as a fiery red head, who lived life exuberantly with both laughter and tears. She loved her family intensely and was close to all her in-laws and nieces and nephews. She was a wonderful cook, and nothing made her happier than spending time with her family for meals and holidays. Her family lightheartedly remembers her for her love of collecting designer purses and shoes. In her later years, Jan was a member of Southwest Baptist Church for over 20 years and enjoyed trips with the Real People Sunday school class. She also loved traveling and going on cruises with her family and friends.

Janice went to heaven on March 22, 2026, at the age of 88. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; her brothers and sisters-in-law, Rodney & Betty Owen and Tully & Joyce Owen; and nieces Darla Owen and Peggy Lowery. She is survived by her son, Hank; her nephew Delane Owen and wife, Kim; her niece Dana Mabrey and husband, Steve; nephew David Owen and wife, Kelly; many beloved great-nieces and nephews; and her church family.

Visitation will be held at Bill Eisenhour at Sunny Lane, 4000 SE 29th Street, Del City, OK 73115, US, on March 26, 2026, from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

Funeral services will be held at Southwest Baptist Church, 1300 SW 54th St, Oklahoma City, OK 73119, US, on March 27, 2026, at 2:00 pm.