Janice Ann Blakely

Jan was born in Poughkeepsie, New York and lived in nearby Highland as well as Poughkeepsie for the first 11 years of her life.

Her family moved to Norman OK in 1955. She showed athletic prowess at an early age, eventually earning a BS in HPER (Health, Physical Education, and Recreation) from the University of Oklahoma where she played on the softball, basketball, and golf teams. She taught Phys. Ed. in Bartlesville, OK, before returning to OU to get her MS in Library and Information Science. She then taught at Panhandle State University before taking a position at the Oklahoma Department of Libraries as an Administrative Librarian, Research Librarian and Statistician.

With a brief sojourn as the owner and operator of Cheesecakes, Etc., a bakery/restaurant in Norman, Jan worked at ODL until retirement in 2005. She then became the Director and Board Member of Second Chance Animal Sanctuary.

Jan loved playing games. She was a member of the Norman Newcomers where she played bridge, mah-jongg, bunco, and so much more. She loved playing cards and board games with her family and friends. She collected unique card decks.

Jan loved a party, organized and hosted many fondly-remembered events, and won the library Halloween costume contest many times with her clever creations.

Jan was also a prolific writer (of poetry, essays, short stories, vignettes, novellas, plays and country songs, plus three unfinished novels). Most recently she was researching and writing a semi-biographical history of her family. Jan was an avid reader and book collector, owning many signed first editions of her favorite mystery authors.

She loved cats of every stripe, (but especially Siamese and her adored Lizzie and Tootie), OU Women's Softball, all things Dolly Parton, her Irish heritage, and, most of all, her family and friends. Jan attracted people with her outgoing and generous personality, and was fortunate to have several devoted and caring friends in Norman who provided her with invaluable support and assistance, especially over the last several years.

She was a member of the Norman Drama Club, Rotary, the Oklahoma Eating Disorders Association (OEDA), and Morning Star Spiritual Community.

She is survived by her brother and sister-in-law Thomas Jay & Roxana Blakely, her nieces and nephews: David, Theresa, Robert, Whitney, JonMarc and Kimberly. Jan's great-nieces and nephews are April, Jessica, Kristin, Amy, Quinn, Knox, Jordan, Makenna, Jillian, Linda, Morgaine, Serena, Brock, Morgan, Branden, Chelsea, Lewis, Liam, Rebekah, Alex, as well as many great-great nieces and nephews.

Jan was predeceased by her parents John C. and Clara A. Blakely, by her brothers Frank "Bud" Blakely and John Blakely, and her nephews Forrest Blakely and Michael Blakely.

Janice will be returned to rest beside her beloved parents at the Lloyd Cemetery in Highland NY.

A memorial service will be planned at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, gifts in memory of Jan can be sent to: Free to Live Animal Sanctuary https://freetoliveok.org , Oklahoma Eating Disorders Association https://www.okeatingdisorders.org, Norman Friends of the Library https://www.friendsofthenormanlibrary.com/ .