Janice Coan

Janice Kay Coan, 82, of Elmira, MI, went home to her eternal rest with Our Lord on Saturday, December 11, 2021. Born on April 14, 1939, in Olney, IL, the daughter of Damon and Charlene (Brookfield) Peters.

Janice graduated from Richland County High School in 1956, Olney, IL, and three years later, on November 23, 1959, married her childhood sweetheart Lawrence Coan.  She loved "her honey" from the time she was in third grade.  She lived her motto throughout her marriage with her husband "A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter; He who finds one finds a treasure." (Sirach) Lawrence was her life's treasure.

Janice and Lawrence moved to northern Michigan in 1972, owning and operating L & R Well Drilling (with Ron Shryock) for several years, drilling wells and setting semi-conductor pipe for oil companies throughout northern Michigan.

As well as serving their community together in work,Janice lived a full and happy life as an avid deer hunter, spending countless hours in her treestand hunting, riding four-wheeler with her husband, checking out the deer signs on their property, killed trophy moose and caribou throughout Alaska, fishing trips to remote places in Canada, to fishing in Florida for the last couple years of her "mature" life.

Janice was a faithful and devoted Catholic and belonged to St. Anthony Catholic Church in Mancelona.  She attended every Wednesday morning Mass she was able to and was actively involved in serving her community through the Women's Guild PCCW.  She loved to bring Our Lady flowers and to read the Mass readings at the Saturday night and Wednesday morning Masses.

Janice "mom" lived her signature song throughout her life"Be Careful of Stones that you Throw," her song sung at every family gathering.

Janice is survived by her loving and devoted husband of 62 years, Lawrence Coan, seven children, Julia Samalik of Gaylord, MI, Judith Simmons of Wyoming, MI, Lawrence W. (Sheryl) Coan of Gaylord, MI, Jeffrey Daniel (Elisa) Coan of Elmira, MI, Jacqueline Duchene of Ypsilanti, MI, Patricia (Mark) Roberts of Elmira, MI, and Justin (Melissa) Coan of Gaylord, MI.  She is also survived by her brother John (Butch) Peters of Salem, IL, and Dennis Michael Peters of Bellaire, MI.  She is survived and cherished by umpteen grandchildren, many great-grandchildren and twinkles on the way.  Seeds scattered and sown.

Janice was preceded in death by her parents Damon and Charlene Peters and her son-in-law Christopher John Duchene.

A funeral Mass will take place at 1:00 p.m., on Wednesday, December 22, 2021, at St. Anthony's Catholic Church, Mancelona, MI.  Visitation will be held from 11:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m., with a Rosary at 12:00/12:30).

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to St. Anthony Catholic Church PCCW (Parish Council of Catholic Women), PO Box 677, Mancelona, Michigan, 49659.

Arrangements are in the care of the Mancelona Chapel of Mortensen Funeral Homes.  Please sign her online guestbook at www.mortensenfuneralhomes.com