Janice Elaine Scripter

A memorial service will be held at 10:00 am on Saturday, January 3 at the Gering Zion Church, located at 1100 O Street in Gering. A private family burial at West Lawn Cemetery will take place immediately following the service. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Gering Zion Church or Festival Home. Fond memories and condolences may be left at www.geringchapel.com. Gering Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Janice Elaine Carr was born on October 23, 1936, in Valentine, Nebraska to Robert and Maybelle Carr. Janice was the oldest of five children. She was a tomboy that loved riding horses and helping her father on their cattle ranch. She attended Valentine High School graduating in 1954. While in high school she was the piano accompanist in the music program, played the clarinet in a Quartet and was active in the school band. She participated in class plays, played on the volleyball team and was crowned homecoming queen. After graduation she attended Hastings College where she pursued a degree in music and she was also a cheerleader.

Love superseded college when she reunited with her high school boyfriend, Tom Scripter. On July 14, 1956, they eloped to Raton, New Mexico, and made their home in the suburbs of Denver, Colorado. They ultimately ended up in Gering, which became their forever home. They welcomed five children: Rick, Kim, Kris, Stacey and Bob. Janice was a stay at home mom that worked hard and sacrificed much for her children.

Music was a very important part of her life, she excelled at the piano. Her parents purchased a piano for her when she was in the third grade. She played this piano her entire life. She played for various churches over the years and had many piano students. Her church life was very important to her, and she raised her children in the church. She loved to sing in the choir and play the hand bells and served on special committees at the church. She loved to play duets with special friends, especially her dear friend Colleen Miller.

Tom and Jan were very active in the rental business; having many rentals in the Scottsbluff/Gering area. Jan took great pride in “fixing up” houses and renting them out. She was a jack of all trades, an expert painter, plumber and electrician. Even in her later years she talked of buying another old house to fix up. It was a passion of hers! She also worked for the Scottsbluff/Gering Clean Communities. She took pride in her job to beautify the community. Jan was a long time member of the Gering United Methodist Church and was actively involved in the United Methodist Women’s group. She recently was honored as a 70 year member of PEO-Chapter EV. Her PEO Sisters were very special to her. After her children were grown she took up running, participating in the BOLDERBoulder and numerous other local races, receiving medals in the Oregon Trail Run, Don Childs Memorial Run, Old West Challenge, Kimball Farmers Day Run. She also loved watching Husker football and volleyball.

Jan will be greatly missed by her family and friends. She will be remembered as a kind and loving mother, grandmother, sister and friend. Her care and compassion towards others was evident in all that she did. Her gracious, positive attitude, even at the end of her life, was such a gift to her family.

Janice is survived by her 5 children: Rick (Beverly) Scripter of Gering; Kim (Mike) Johns of Mitchell, Kris (Dave) Christian of Gering, Stacey (Ty) Miller of Greeley, Colorado and Bob (Kim) Scripter of Scottsbluff; Grandchildren Luke Scripter of Hong Kong, China, Jeff Scripter of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Mark (Krista) Scripter of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Micah Scripter of Gering, Michael Ann (Justin) Relka of Mitchell, Taylor (Adam) Gollas of Mitchell, Molly (Nick) Howard of Morehead, Minnesota, Mandy (Anthony) Murphy of Hastings, Nebraska, Reed (Hannah) Miller of Eaton, Colorado, Rachel (Andrew) Willard of Florence, Montana, Lauren (Andrew) Overmiller of Fort Collins, Colorado, Reese Scripter of Scottsbluff and Cade Scripter of Scottsbluff. She is survived by great grandchildren Rayce, Alivia and Elliet Relka, Tilly Jo Gollas, Zachary and Caroline Howard, Camden, Bennett and August Murphy, James and Isaac Miller, and Ivy and Sophia Overmiller. She is survived by sisters Jeanne (Bob) Smith of Norfolk, Nebraska, Cathy Segrist of Surprise, Arizona and Shelia Carr of Valentine, Nebraska; brother Robert (Terrie) Carr of Valentine, Nebraska; brother-in-law Dick (Lynn) Scripter of Scottsdale, Arizona; and many nieces, nephews and extended family members.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Tom Scripter, parents Robert and Maybelle Carr, mother and father-in-law Edward and Bertha Scripter, brothers-in-law Don Scripter and John Segrist; sisters-in-law Darlene Scripter and Carol Ann Scripter, and nephew Jay Segrist.

Her beloved dog, Pepper, has happily adjusted to life on the Johns farm.