Janice (Spence) Van Buren and her twin sister, Jacqueline (Spence) Cook were born in Ajo, Arizona on December 25, 1925 and raised in San Bernardino, California, where they attended elementary school, Sturgis Junior High and San Bernardino High School. The “Spence Twins” had many friends, but were especially close to Marian and Joyce Van Buren, who would not only become Jan’s best friends, but eventually her sisters-in-law as well.
As a senior in high school, Jan fell in love with George Ruddell. They married in 1942, had a daughter, Perri, and divorced in 1945. Soon after her divorce, Jan began dating Gene Van Buren, who had returned home after being discharged from the Navy. Much to the delight of the Van Buren’s, Jan and Gene were married in 1946 and moved to Laguna Beach. They had one daughter, Genie. Jan loved being a wife and mother. They had a nice home with a big yard and lots of fruit trees. Jan learned to can fruit, make jam and bake wonderful pies for her friends and neighbors.
In 1952, Jan and Gene moved their family to Los Angeles. They lived there for 12 years, while their daughters went through school and Gene climbed the corporate ladder, becoming an executive in the aerospace division of Douglas Air Craft. During this period of their lives, Jan and Gene did a lot of traveling. They visited every state and state capital in the United States, as well as trips to Canada and Mexico. When they weren’t traveling, they spent weekends at their home in Laguna or visiting with family and friends. Most of their social life revolved around family. They were very close to Jan’s sister, Jacquie, and her family as well as Gene’s five sisters and their families. Jan also began drawing during these years. She worked mostly in pastels, preferring impressionist and contemporary art styles. Gene was very proud of her work and had several pieces framed and hung in their home.
In 1965, Jan and Gene moved with the Douglas Aerospace Division to Orange County. They bought a home with a large lot, added a swimming pool and planted fruit trees, ensuring that their home would be the center of family activities for years to come. With Perri married and Genie in college, Jan began exploring career ideas. She enjoyed helping people and looked for work in people-oriented fields. She worked as a private detective for Johnny Enterprises, then as a counselor with Gloria Marshall, Inc., before she found her calling with the Church of Religious Science. She attended classes and became certified as a licensed religious practitioner, working under Dr. Barclay Johnson of the Fullerton Church of Religious Science.
When Gene’s job required them to relocate to Cape Kennedy in Florida for a few years, they bought a beachfront condo in Cocoa Beach. They thoroughly enjoyed their time in Florida, and took the opportunity to travel up and down the East Coast, the Caribbean and even a few trips to Europe. When Gene retired in 1978, they returned to their home in Garden Grove.
Jan and Gene continued to travel and to entertain friends and family in their home, taking full advantage of their retirement years. Sadly, Gene passed away in 1991 after an extended illness. Jan focused her energies on taking care of her aging parents, spending time with her sister, children and grandchildren and maintaining her home, which remained the center of family gatherings. After Jacquie’s husband, Steve, passed away Jacquie moved in with Jan. The twins, reunited for a few years of shared companionship, were a delight to be around and seemed always to be happily on the go. They took short trips, enjoyed visits with their children and grandchildren and entertained old and new friends.
When Jacquie passed away in 2014, followed by Perri in 2015, Jan’s health began to decline. She remained in the home she loved, passing away on June 15, 2020, at the age of 94. She is survived by her daughter Genie (Van Buren) Runyon and husband Joe; grandchildren, Allen Marshall and wife, Nema; Kelli (Marshall) Lockhart and husband Trent; Darren Runyon, Shelly (Runyon) Laroche and husband Fabrice; great grandchildren Alina (Marshall) (Thompson) Saeed and husband Amar; Wyatt Lockhart; great-great grandsons, Skylar Thompson, Malik Saeed and Yasim Saeed; and many nephews and nieces. She was a beautiful, loving mother and grandmother and will be greatly missed.
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