Janet "Jan" Ella Freiley

Janet Ella Anderson was born in Portland, Oregon to Alfred Ellis and Ella Leah (Hoffman) Anderson on September 3, 1942. She was the first born of three siblings and was sister to Joanne and Gerald. Jan attended school at Gilbert Elementary and she graduated from David Douglas High School in 1960.

Jan met William Freiley in 1961 when the two were introduced to each other by Bill’s friend Richard Crabtree who set them up on a blind date. The story goes that Dick Crabtree was dating Jan’s roommate and was looking for someone to spend some time with Jan so that Dick's girlfriend wouldn't keep bringing Jan on all of their dates. Their first date was such a success that Jan and Bill continued dating and spending time together. This began a relationship that would last for the rest of their lives together. The two exchanged wedding vows on January 4, 1963. The ceremony was held in the newly built First Baptist Church of Gresham and theirs was the first wedding held there.

Jan and Bill were blessed with three children. Daughter Lisa Marie was born in 1964, daughter Lori Kay in 1967, and son Douglas William in 1974. The young family first lived in an apartment on NW Quimby in Portland. They later moved to a home in NE Portland. In the early 1972, they had a home built in SE Portland and they lived there for 38 years. They had another home built in Boring, OR and they moved there in 2010.

Jan’s lifelong career was in banking. She was employed by US Bank for 33 years and retired with the title of Vice President of Bonds and Redemption.

Three words to describe Jan are family, friends, and service to others. She was a dedicated, loving, supportive mother to her three children and a loving, devoted wife to Bill. Jan was an involved parent in her kids’ schools. She was a PTA member and was always an eager volunteer. Whatever her kids were involved in, Jan was right there to support them in any way she could. She was a caring friend to so many and she was always available. Jan possessed a spirit of service and it was evident in so many ways. She volunteered at the food pantry and offered her help at the homeless shelter. She was an involved, loved member of First Baptist in Gresham. At First Baptist, Jan held numerous roles and responsibilities. Jan worked in the church office, organized reunion dinners, picnics, and she ran the youth camp scholarship program. When Jan retired from her banking career, she was even busier with her various church duties and community support.

Jan was an avid, eclectic reader. She loved planting flowers in in her yard and in baskets on her patio, she tapped into her creative side when working with ceramics and cross stitching. The collector in Jan picked up collectible spoons from all over the world as she and Bill traveled as well as having family and friends contribute to her collection.

Jan and Bill were a loving, devoted couple. It has been said that in retirement, the two grew even closer. Bill delights in the memory of being “busy together.”

Jan is survived by her loving husband of 55 years, Bill; daughters, Lisa Cowan and Lori Freiley Salinas; son, Doug Freiley; grandsons: Jacob, Lorenzo, and Alexander; sister Joanne Bishop; and brother Jerry Anderson.

A memorial service will be held in First Baptist Church of Gresham, 224 Powell Blvd., on Saturday, October 27, 2018, at 2:30pm.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to:

OHSU Foundation, with Knight Cancer Center and Jan’s name in the memo line.

Jan will be privately laid to rest in Skyline Memorial Gardens of Portland, OR.

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Thank you.