Janis Elaine Holm

The service will be live streamed at the Council Grove Christian Church facebook page.

Janis Elaine Holm, Council Grove, left her earthly home to join friends and relatives in her heavenly home on December 21, while at Morris County Hospital, from complications after a major surgery. 

She was the second daughter of Mildred (Burnett) and Waldo Schoof. Sister Donna and Janis were both born in the little farmhouse five miles south of Council Grove. Janis was born March 4, 1938, and lived there for 18 years until she went away to college. She was always so thankful for those 18 years of being taught to appreciate the free things in life such as the sun, moon, stars and wildlife. She continued to enjoy and appreciate these things all her life. Living on the farm, she was grateful to have been taught cooking, sewing, canning, freezing, dressing chickens (which wasn’t her favorite thing to do) and being responsible for chores and work around the farm.

Janis went to Sunnyside and Spring Creek rural grade schools and graduated from Wilson High School in Council Grove in 1956. She loved children and always wanted to be a teacher like her mother, sister and aunts. She graduated from Emporia State Teachers College in 1960, teaching her first year at a rural school, Red Top, near White City.

Janis was active in the Four Mile 4-H Club from 9 years of age until she became 18, learning many life skills. She attended the Four Mile Sunday School and Church with her family. She accepted Jesus as her Savior at revival meetings held by Frank Parker and was baptized in the Council Grove Christian Church at a young age.

On February 8, 1959, Janis married Frank Holm who was in the U.S. Navy. They were married in the Council Grove Chistian Church, where their membership remained all of their lives. This marriage started her travels throughout the U.S. and the world teaching along the way. She enjoyed teaching at Camp Pendleton in California before going to Cairo, Egypt for three years where she tutored American children. In Topeka, she taught kindergarten before going to Guam. There she worked with Project Head Start and helped start their kindergarten program. When moving to Great Lake IL, she taught in Waukegan, IL. 

In 1975, Frank retired from the U.S. Navy, and they moved back to Topeka, where she taught for 23 years. Janis retired in 1998 after teaching a total of 30 enjoyable years. After Frank passed away in 2010, she moved back to Council Grove in 2016, where she could again enjoy the place of her birth and be around relatives.

Janis was preceded in death by her husband, Frank of 52 years, her parents and sister Donna and nephew Todd. She is survived by her niece, Suzanne Hokett and husband Joe and nephew, Richard Muller and wife Tammy. Frank and Janis had no children but loved and enjoyed all their 21 wonderful nieces and nephews, who claimed to be their children. 

Janis was a member of the Council Grove Christian Church, lifetime member of NEA, KNEA, and Topeka Retired Teachers and Morris County 4-H Foundation. 

She loved children, family, nature, sewing, cooking, gardening, knitting, the many friends made in their travels and last but not least, she loved her country. 

Services will be 10:30 a.m., Friday December 27 at Council Grove Christian Church on East Main Street. Burial will follow at Four Mile Cemetery. 

Memorial contributions may be made to Council Grove Christian Church or Morris County 4-H Foundation.