Janice Abel

Janice was born at Allen Hospital, Waterloo, Iowa, daughter of George and Faye Abel.  She grew up in La Porte City, Iowa, graduating from high school in 1953.  She then attended Drake University earning a bachelor's degree (58) and master's degree (60) in Music Education, taught music, band and was a Guidance Counselor in Iowa Public Schools.  She began at University of Northern Iowa as hall Director, opening Dancer Hall in the late 60's. After earning an EdD degree from Indiana University, Bloomington, in 1972, she returned to UNI as Director of the Orientation Program.  Then becoming the first Director of Academic Advising Services. In that 20-year career, her writing appeared in College Student Services journals.

After retiring, she turned to fiction writing and published a collection of fantasy short stories. Dream Shifters and Brass Notes Over Wolf Creek, a fictionalized story of how she felt as a child growing up in Iowa during World War 2.  Her little horse series, Little White Christmas Horse and Little Horse Wears Antlers, appeared as a seven-chapter serial in many community papers in USA and Canada.  Janice interviewed Cedar Valley retired women and published Community Shapers used in conjunction with a UNI Museum exhibit in 1996.  She and her sister, Ruth Anne, documented their childhood living in La Porte City close to their parent's Wishmore Café entitled From the Wishmore to You.

The trumpet was a major part of her life starting in 4 ^th grade and practicing all these years, playing for home flag raisings, the The Star -Spangled Banner in mornings and Taps in the evenings.  Janice developed a skilled pastel painting technique, completing many beautiful works.  According to Janice, "While music has never been a part of my public life in Cedar Falls, it runs deep in my personal life. I view arts as essential to our being, bringing out the best in us. The arts enable me to understand life as an art form that each of us are shaping."  Janice loved music the most of anything. "It's all about music" she said. "My life could be told in a four- minute song that only Nancy Griffith could sing, entitled, Sing ."

Janice also enjoyed traveling to many places, mostly, but not all, in the United States. She attributes her love of traveling to her father, George Abel, who always took his family on summer vacations seeing almost all the continental United States.  For many years she has enjoyed the company of her partner and best friend, Mary Lou Hunt, having many mutual ideas, making a home, enjoying traveling, especially to National Parks, Art Museums, historical sites  and enjoying musical presentations both near and far,  caring for all their little Yorkies.  Janice wrote, "To my friends and family, I send greetings and a reminder that each day begins fresh with no mistakes! GOOD MORNING!"

Janice is survived by her friend and partner, Mary Lou Hunt and sister, Ruth Anne Schneck(Ron),  nephews, Randall Rippel (Deb) , Ronald Rippel (Renee),  a niece, Cynthia Wheeler , Grand-nephews, Nick(Erika) Wheeler and family, Jake (Esther) Wheeler,  Jason Rippel, and a Grand-niece, Sarah Rippel ,   cousins, Sharon Burrows and Marilyn (Burrows) Spores, and many friends.

There will be a Celebration of Life held on Saturday, February 18 beginning at 2:00 PM at Dahl Van Hove-Schoof Funeral Home, 1825 W. 12 ^th Street, Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613, with visitation beginning at 1:00 PM until the time of service. Condolences may be left at: dahlfuneralhome@cfu.net Memorials may be directed to the Northeast Iowa Food Bank, Hearst Center for the Arts, Cedar Bend Humane Society, or University of Northern Iowa Foundation.