Janice Colleen Sheffield

I’m Tom Sheffield and my wife, Janice Joachims Sheffield died quietly in St. Jude’s Hospital in Fullerton, in the early evening of July 8, 2025. She fought a particularly nasty form of cancer for over a year, but despite an indominable spirit that never wavered during treatment, modern medicine was just not able to keep ahead of it.

She was a very strong believer in angels, and I have concluded that she was finally needed more in that realm than in this. Having said that, I am a complete mess and have no idea how to continue without her, other than just building on our 56+ years of marriage and everything she taught me and did for me. She was not a noisy or overly chatty person but everyone who knew her, benefited from her genuine, loving and selfless soul. One thing many will remember is that she constantly supported the US Post O*ice and Hallmark by sending cards and notes to family and friends on nearly every special occasion and often just to keep in touch.

She was born and raised in Alva, Oklahoma and was very active in Girl Scouts. Later she began volunteering at the hospital as a Candy Striper and in college, she was a nurse’s aide there. She and I met for the first time in 1961 when she had just turned 12 and I was 14. A few years later, when she began high school. She and her brother Gary walked up Maple Street to our house every morning and I drove them on to school. A very short time later, she invited me to her 15th birthday party and that was the first day of the rest of my life. Our first one-on-one date was the next evening when we went to the drive-in theater to see “North to Alaska”. Four years later, we were married during Christmas break of my senior and her sophomore years of college.

Immediately after my college graduation, we moved to southern California. Jan continued her college studies until we started our family. First came son Brent, and two years later, we were blessed with another son, Craig. Then several years later, our wonderful and loving daughter, Sandra, came along. Jan focused on the kids and running our household. She was deeply involved with not only our kids but also the kids and adults in the neighborhood and all of their activities. She got particularly interested in helping at pre-school and then school when our daughter was little. That eventually inspired her to go back to college where she got a certificate and AA degree in early childhood education from Fullerton Community College. After graduation, she moved on to Cal State Fullerton University and got her bachelors in the same area. Immediately after, she was hired as a teacher in the Children’s Center at Cal State Fullerton. She began with the 3-year-olds and then transitioned to the 4-year-olds and continued with that age group until her retirement, 25 years later.

Jan took teaching very seriously and she introduced hundreds of 3 and 4-year-olds to a loving discovery of all kinds of important and practical things about life in addition to introducing them to self-esteem through simple structure that they may not have experienced elsewhere. It was not a job or even a career, it was a passion for the importance of a child’s formative years.

We were both extremely blessed with amazing children and also their children. Jan was always doing whatever she could to support and nurture them all. There were no bounds to her generosity of time, energy or resources.

She retired 14 years ago and focused mostly on our grandkids and keeping me going but has no doubt been the complete center of our family reality, running our household, the lovely yard and its tons of flowers and caring for her koi and their pond.

For those of you who like more of that traditional stuff: Parents: Max and Doris Joachims of Alva, Oklahoma Siblings: Gary and wife Gerri of near St. Louis, Missouri Brian and wife Michelle of Norman, Oklahoma. Brother-in-law John Sheffield and wife Christy of Guthrie, Oklahoma, Only surviving aunt: Lila of Decatur, Illinois but now staying with her son in Florida. Gary’s kids: Bradley Joachims and Julie Trejo Brian’s kids: Christine and David Joachims John’s kids: Mathew Sheffield, Amy Martin and Celia Lightsey Even after many years of retirement, there are still an amazing group of coworkers who had remained close friends and supporters from her years at the Children’s Center. Jan was tremendously blessed to have such great friends and talented associates.

Of course it’s necessary to iterate her immediate family: Son Brent and wife Kate Petrie Sheffield and their son Sawyer of Southlake Texas. Son Craig and wife Stephanie Gerber Sheffield of Murphy, Texas and their son Andrew Thomas Sheffield and his wife Alyssa Terrill Sheffield of Ladera Ranch, California Daughter Sandra Verrengia and husband Mark with their daughter CJ and son Anthony Per her wishes, her remains will be cremated and then buried back in Alva.

We will have a Celebration of Janice’s Life at our home in Fullerton, California in the near future.

Please consider contributions to cancer research in her honor. There will be a tree planted in her honor and remembrance at the Children’s Center at Cal State Fullerton University.