Janice Brown Harris Cagle

My beautiful sister, Janice Brown Harris Cagle, whose home was in Culver City, CA, passed away on May 6, 2017, eight days before her 75th birthday. She was born May 14, 1942, the daughter of Sammie and Bebo Brown, in a little farm town, Arlington, KY. Three grandparents lived around the corner and various aunts, uncles, cousins, and earlier generations were nearby.

Jan grew up spending most Saturdays sharing time between the local movie matinees, Aunt Ida's Café, and Daddy's restaurant and pool room. Other Saturdays were spent in a small boat on the Mississippi River or surrounding lakes learning skills with a cane fishing pole from Daddy. Sundays were for the Methodist Church and dinners with the extended family. Jan was a member of 4H, and Mother taught her the sewing skills needed to compete. The elementary school elected their own basketball queen and king each year. Jan represented her class every year until she was in 8th grade and was chosen queen. She was an officer in Beta Club in her Freshman Year in High School.

She became a Floridian just in time for her entry into North Miami High School. Among other activities, she was on a float in a Homecoming parade as Exchange Club Sweetheart, wrote a weekly column in the school paper, was a member of Anchor Club, and in her senior year was yearbook editor. After graduation in 1960 the family moved to Palm Beach County, where she paid her way through business school by modeling. She was Miss Jai Lai, and was the face of many local advertisers.

In 1962 she married Bob Harris and the newlyweds headed West to Los Angeles. She wrote that the modeling opportunities were slim: everybody in Los Angeles was beautiful because beautiful girls came to town to break into the movies.

When her husband was a Public Defender they campaigned for more rehabilitation opportunities for non-violent offenders. The first cat they adopted was brought home from the women's prison when the inmates feared their pet would be taken away. Bob would bring clients home to hide from the paparazzi and they had a number of the accused sleeping on their living room couch while out on bail.

When the marriage ended, she continued her community activism on her own. She marched for peace, she supported animal welfare, service to the homeless and victims of aids, and made her voice heard in local quality of life issues. She earned her BA at UCLA in 1973 and MBA at USC in 1982. She spent, in her words, "forever", working in the excitement of tech startup companies before finding her place in the Rand Corporation.

She enjoyed driving her little silver car up the coast with friends. She never tired of the ocean and beaches. She sought the solitude of the mountains for peace and quiet. She loved her beautiful home and neighborhood, her family, her dogs (two Dobermans and many Salukis), her cats, all rescues (Maggie was her final companion), the hummingbirds that came to her feeder, the butterflies in her garden, and the flowering plants she cultivated with such patience. When there weren't enough butterflies, she purchased more

butterfly larvae and watched as they spun their cocoons and helped repopulate her yard. She even sent one collection to her nephew and nieces in Florida, relocating Painted Lady butterflies to Miami. The tomatoes in her back yard were welcome too. In her own way she fought for peace in the world, justice for those who had no voice, compassion for animals, and to make her corner of the world a better place.

She is survived by her sister Frederica "Freddie" Brown Neal; Nephew, Bryan Neal; Niece, Rebecca Neal-Beevers and husband, Christopher and children, Graham and Julia Beevers; Niece, Melanie Neal Mataxas and husband, Kevin and daughter, Taylor Mataxas. Her loss will be deeply felt by all who knew her.

With all my Love,

Freddie

Arrangements under the direction of Gates, Kingsley & Gates Smith Salsbury Funeral Directors, Culver City, CA.