Janice Evelyn Delamarter

Janice Evelyn Delamarter was born the daughter of Willis G. Tetz and Bernice E. Nylander on Tuesday, February 26, 1935 in Vancouver, Washington. They resided in the Hazel Dell, where the Tetz name was well known from their family business: first as a grocery store, gas station, then as Tetz's Tavern and later Mr. T's Tavern. When Janice was four, her brother, Darrell, was born and was known as Buddy, later as Bud. The family started out loving, but tensions increased, resulting in Janice's mother leaving. During this time, Janice and Bud were raised by their grandparents. Willis married Ruth M. Tetz (nee Harris) who had a daughter, Wanda. Janice had always dreamed of having a beautiful older sister to look up to. A kind neighbor invited Janice to attend Sunday School and she brought Buddy along too. At a camp meeting Janice gave her life to Christ on July 15th, 1949. Janice expressed her love of music by learning piano and singing in the Girls Choir at school. Janice graduated from Vancouver High School in 1953. Janice loved her family but there were still family conflicts and tension from their tavern next door. She wanted to get away and decided to attend college at Seattle Pacific College (now University), a private Free Methodist school. Janice earned her way through college by working at the school library, school kitchen and ironing clothes. College was not easy and she experienced test anxiety. Janice was extremely shy at first but persevered and enjoyed her roommates. Some of Janice’s family were not pleased with the direction she had chosen and decided to get rid of her belongings while she was at school causing Janice deep sadness. Janice’s first degree was a B.A. in Missions in 1957. Meanwhile, Janice’s dad was ill, so she showed her tenderness by returning home to take care of him and to be a missionary within her own family. She returned to college to get a business degree and began working as a bookkeeper for the electric company. Janice did not feel this was her calling so she earned a Teacher Certificate to teach elementary education in Washington. She got a job as a kindergarten teacher in the Kent School District and moved to Bothell, Washington and lived with her best friend, Miriam. Janice attended the Bothell Free Methodist Church where she was impressed by the beautiful tenor voice of Raymond Delamarter from Canada who sang in a quartet. They fell in love and Raymond serenaded her when they were married in the family home of Hazel Dell on December 30, 1960. Janice and Raymond moved around the Seattle area and bought a house in Marysville, Washington. Within a year they had a baby boy, Loren Ray. A couple years later they moved to a small acreage in Corvallis, Oregon and soon had another boy, Glen Earl. Janice had her hands full with the boys and enjoyed being a mother and homemaker and made many new friends and taught sunday school at the Free Methodist Church in Corvallis. Raymond still dreamed of living on a “gentleman’s farm” and in Jefferson, Oregon he found one and moved the family there in 1975. Janice attended the Albany Free Methodist Church and there she was instrumental in starting the BYKOTA Preschool and Daycare (Be Ye Kind One To Another). After the boys had graduated and moved out, Janice and Raymond downsized to a modest ranch style house near the crossroads called Marion. Janice found new employment at the preschool and daycare at Salem First Church of the Nazarene. Glen married Cindy and Loren married Atsuko; Now Janice honestly said she finally had the daughters that she had always dreamed of having! Janice was so happy to have grandchildren to show kindness and love to: Adam, Marcus, Leah, Aria, Elise and Kahryn. Janice’s beloved Raymond passed away on August 2, 2012. Janice moved in with a friend two doors down the street. In 2016, one week before Janice’s 81st birthday, she suffered a stroke that left her unable to speak, read, write and properly control her right leg. She was able to regain some of her lost abilities and in 2017 moved to Marian Estates McKillop Residence in Sublimity, Oregon. Janice was in and out of hospital mostly due to aspiration. On October 20, 2021 Janice peacefully passed from this earth to heaven to be with Christ and those who preceded her. Surviving, and left to honor her life, are: Her sons, Loren Delamarter of Portland and Glen Delamarter of Turner; her daughter in-laws: Atsuko Delamarter of Portland and Cindy Delamarter of Turner; her brothers, Bud Tetz of Vancouver, Washington and Skip (Duane) Schafer of Vancouver, Washington; and six wonderful grandchildren.

Janice Evelyn Delamarter

February 26, 1935 - October 20, 2021