Janice Ann Slocum

On Sunday, August 29, 2021, Janice Ann Vernon Slocum passed away at the age of 84. Janice was born on November 23, 1936, in Cornwall, New York, to John Stanton and Nellie Mae (DuBois) Vernon. Janice was their only child, and she grew up in Newburgh, New York, in farm country. She attended elementary, junior high and high school there. She rode the bus every day to and from school. She got to know some of the kids at her bus stop. One boy in particular, she had a crush on, Richard. Later, in high school, Richard had a car and would drive her and a friend home from school, but she never dated him in high school. He went into the Navy after school, and Janice pursued a career in art. She attended commercial art school on Long Island and then later transferred to the University of Denver. She wrote to Richard during this time. It wasn’t until she returned back to Newburgh that she met up with Richard again and they started dating. On March 7, 1958, she married Richard Alan Slocum, the love of her life. Soon after, he started working for IBM Corporation as a customer engineer. Janice did not complete her college at this time but became busy with raising 4 children, Deborah, John, Mark, and Matthew. Finally, in 1976, she graduated with a Bachelor of Art degree from Bard College there in New York. Soon after, Richard was transferred to Atlanta, Georgia, and they bought property in Kennesaw and built a log house. This is where they remained the rest of their lives.

Janice had a passion for the arts, her family, and wildlife. She attended many art exhibits and camps as well as taught a variety of art classes. She exhibited her artwork at Kennesaw Fine Arts Center, Brooklyn Museum of Fine Arts, and Hudson Valley Art Association. She also had one-woman shows at the Marietta Fine Arts Gallery, Michaels of Buckhead, and The Art Station-Kennesaw. Over 40 years, Janice taught outdoor sketching while in New York, watercolors in Cobb Schools, at Marietta Fine Arts Center and Kennesaw College, the ASP program at Due West Elementary, and painting at the Devereux Center and Marietta Enriched Life Movement. One of her favorite experiences was working for three years in an outreach program at the High Museum doing art projects with critically ill children. For twelve years, she taught seniors at West Cobb Senior Center. Janice was a talented instructor, painter, sculptor and woodcarver. She developed lasting friendships with many of those she taught and worked with. She took trips with these friends to explore art related hobbies. She was a member of the High Museum of Art and loved to attend the art exhibits with family members and friends through the years as well. She was an advocate of the importance of art and believed in sharing her passion with people of all ages. Janice always created and hand painted cards for all occasions to send to family and friends. She used her talents in art to make unique gifts for others. She spent most of her time making gifts for family and friends. She also loved and cared for animals. She taught her children to love and care for the many pets and wild animals around their home and never forgot to care for the critters who roamed her woods outside her log house in Kennesaw. She loved to feed the turkeys and deer with her neighbor friend and shared pictures of them with friends in the neighborhood. She was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She served in various callings in church where she was an example of diligence and loving care to all that she served. She continued lasting friendships with dear friends that were members of her church. In the last few years of her life, she drew upon the strength of church members, friends and family. She went to stay with her son, Mark and his wife Sheila the last few months of her life in Suffolk, Virginia, where she passed away peacefully. She lived an extraordinary life surrounded by people who adored her, in family, church, and community.

Janice was preceded in death by her husband, Richard, and her son, John. She is survived by her three children, Debbie, Mark, and Matthew, 12 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

A graveside service will be held on Saturday, September 11th, 2021 at 11 a.m. at Pine Ridge Memorial Park, 2950 Cobb Pkwy N, Kennesaw, GA 30152. In lieu of flowers, please donate to The American Cancer Society at cancer.org