Janice “Janny” Lawrence
1947 – 2023
Janice (Janny) Warner Lawrence passed away on March 4th, 2023 of liver failure caused by primary sclerosing cholangitis. Janny was born in Brigham City, Utah on March 6, 1947 as the 3rd child of Albert H. Warner Sr. and JoAnne Smith Warner. She passed away just two days short of her 76th birthday.
Janny grew up in South Ogden, Utah and graduated from Bonneville High School in 1965. She loved to dance and often talked about dancing ballet in her toe shoes, she loved to ski with friends and family. She also learned to sew in high school and continued to make clothes and other items such as baby blankets and doll clothes for her family and friends.
Janny met the love of her life, Clair Russell Lawrence Jr., at his parent’s home when dropping off paperwork for girl’s camp to his mother and they started dating. Dad always told his kids that he knew on the very first date that he would marry her. They were sealed in the Logan Utah Temple on April 8, 1966 and were married for 47 years until dad passed away in 2013.
Janny worked at Coleman knitting as a seamstress, worked in catalog, customer service, gift wrap, and as a florist at JCPenney, and taught floral design and arts and crafts as part of adult community learning programs. In 1979 Janny opened her own home-based floral design business, Jan’s Floral and Gift in Ogden, adding wedding decorating to the business in 1989. She loved to do all types of flower arrangements especially dance flowers.
Janny loved music and playing the piano, however she never liked playing in front of a crowd of people. She was very active and loved to play tennis, racquet ball, and other sports. She loved going to the Deseret Gym and meeting many friends there. She loved outdoor activities, backpacking, Dutch oven cooking, and camping on the family property with her family, teaching her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren to enjoy family time and to respect nature.
Nineteen forever, Janny had a love of life and lived it to the fullest, never wanting to miss anything and wanting to be involved in everything. Janny created a clown persona, “Chuckles” the clown and along with her sister Valeen “Freckles”, would show up at birthday parties and other family events and visit local hospitals in their clown costumes.
She loved to cook and bake. Her love language was nurturing people through food such as homemade bread, soup, desserts, etc. She canned and preserved fruits and vegetables every year, growing many of them in her garden.
Janny was a faithful and dedicated member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and dedicated her time and talents in service as a member of the 33rd Ward/Taylor Canyon Ward. She served in many callings such as Mutual Advisor, Young Women’s leader, Girls Camp leader, Sunday School teacher, Girl’s Achievement Days Leader, Cub Scout Leader, Primary President, Relief Society, Ward Activities Committee, and many others. Janny was involved in ward and stake road shows, youth activities, regional youth performances often making costumes, scenery, and props for the youth to perform in. She was involved in designing and building floats for the Ogden Stake for the Ogden Pioneer Days Parade on several occasions and each float won awards or received honors. Janny was also a mission mom for many missionaries serving in the Ogden area, opening her home and feeding and nurturing them. Janny’s most favorite church calling was Girl’s camp leader, a calling she held for many years.
Janny loved family history and gathering stories of ancestors. She loved meeting with distant relatives and comparing photos and life stories and getting to know them.
Janny loved her family very much. She was a wonderful mother of 5 children and raised them to become successful, hard-working people. She loved each of her grandchildren and always told each one they were her ‘favorite’ and each would also say, “You’re my favorite Janny!” She attended plays, performances, track meets, dance recitals, basketball, soccer, and T-ball games and many other activities to show her love and support to her family.
Janny is survived by her children: Russ Lawrence III (Sandy), Lyndee Lawrence, Heidi Lawrence Scriven (Scott), Richard Albert Lawrence (Angie), Syndee Lawrence Bronson (Michael), 12 grandchildren: Kelsie Lawrence Memmott (Brendan), Sierra Lawrence Frostad (Austen), McKinley Lawrence Karr (Scott), Madison Lawrence, Ashlee Lawrence Crittenden (Karson), Emalee Lawrence Shobe (Nic), Samuel Lawrence (Lexie), Megan Lawrence, Ben Lawrence, Kaleb Bronson, Janika Bronson, and Joshua Bronson and 9 great-grandchildren with one more expected this year. She is also survived by her best friend, business partner, and side kick, Nani Ward. Their friendship and love is beyond measure.
She is also survived by 5 siblings, Lucy Anne Morrelli, Corky Warner, Skip Warner Jr., Vernon Warner, and Valeen Petersen. She was preceded in death by her husband Russ, her parents, and two brothers Alan Warner and Charles Warner.
The family wishes to thank Dr. Kyle Eliason, the GI Lab team at McKay Dee Hospital, and other care providers for the years of care they have provided for Janny. Janny’s favorite line to her caregivers was “You owe me a chocolate!”, will be well remembered by those who cared for her.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, March 11, 2023 at the Taylor Canyon Ward, 1643 26th St., at 11 am with a viewing prior from 9 to 10:30 am. A viewing will also be held from 6 to 8 pm on Friday, March 10th at Myers Mortuary, 845 Washington Blvd., Ogden, UT.
Janny’s service will be video recorded and posted on her obituary later that day, to watch go to www.myers-mortuary.com condolences may also be sent to the family at this website.