Janice Marie Hightower

Janice Marie Ricker Hightower, age 77, passed away peacefully after a short illness on Saturday, December 24, 2022 in San Antonio, Texas. She was born on August 28, 1945 in Parkersburg, West Virginia to Esther G. and Richard W. Ricker.

Janice graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a degree in engineering and joined the United States Air Force. She also earned advanced degrees from Georgia Tech and UTSA. After over twenty years of service, she retired from the USAF, established a successful consulting practice and became involved in community and charitable organizations. She met Chris while they were both assigned to Randolph AFB and they remained together for the next 34 years.

She was an avid distance runner and loved gardening, the daily crosswords in the Journal and the Excess News and traveling. In 2014 she and Chris went on a cruise to Alaska and she was hooked. They cruised several times a year to Alaska, in the Caribbean, to Hawaii and through the Panama Canal, often with family members, making new friends on each cruise. They had just returned from two weeks cruising in the Caribbean when she became ill at home.

Janice was preceded in death by her parents Richard and Esther Ricker; and her sister Roberta Wryals. Janice is survived by her husband, Chris Hebner; brothers, Drew Ricker and Richard Ricker II; sister, Rebecca Ricker; mother-in-law, Sarah Hebner; sisters-in-law, Cathy Rose, Mary Hebner and Linda Cooke; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was loved and will be missed by all who knew her. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the San Antonio Food Bank. You are invited to sign the Guestbook at www.porterloring.com.