Janie Hodam, age 72, of Lansing, KS went to be with her Lord and Savior on Friday, November 19 ^th , 2021.

Jane Elizabeth Mann was born in Des Moines, Iowa on December 10 ^th , 1948, to Richard "Garth" and Jeannette Luther Mann. She was welcomed by sister Julie, and brother Bob. Jane had several wonderful childhood friendships. As a child, she enjoyed roller skating at the city park, going to Gull Lake, Minnesota during the summers and spending time with her cousins. She adored her father Garth, the postmaster and editor of the Dallas Center Times newspaper. Garth never knew a stranger and loved people well, traits Jane shared with him.

In high school, Janie played the saxophone, acted in school plays, got top scores at the state speech tournament and was student body president her senior year. After graduating in 1967, she attended the University of Northern Iowa for one year and then transferred to Northwest Missouri State University in Marysville, MO, in 1968 where she thrived. Some highlights include being selected for "Who's Who Among American College Students" and Tower Princess as well as being a part of the Tri Sigma sorority. She absolutely loved her experience as an exchange student to Switzerland. Losing her father in 1966 and her mother in 1970 forced Janie to become a strong, independent young woman. In 1971 she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor's in Elementary Education then began her career teaching kindergarten in Bolckow, Missouri. Janie later earned a Master's degree in Counseling from NWMSU .

In 1972 Janie returned to her hometown to teach sixth grade at her alma mater. There she met her lifelong love Rick Hodam, who was already teaching in Dallas Center. Rick was the K-12 PE teacher and head football coach. That year Mr. Hodam and Miss Mann fell in love and were married December 29 ^th , 1973, at Immanuel Methodist Church in Des Moines.

Just after their wedding, Rick and Janie settled in Portales, New Mexico, where Rick coached at Eastern New Mexico University. Janie worked with the Upward Bound program for a semester before taking a special education teaching position in Clovis. Janie and Rick were baptized at Central Christian Church in 1974. First born son Derrick William's arrival was an early Christmas gift on December 19 ^th , 1976.

In 1977 the family moved to Mount Pleasant, Iowa, where Rick took a coaching/teaching job at Iowa Wesleyan College and Janie taught at Harlan Elementary and later, Pleasant Lawn Elementary. Holly Jeannette joined the family on May 20 ^th , 1979, and Davis Garth followed shortly after on October 31 ^st , 1980.

In 1982, the Hodam family moved west when Rick took a coaching/teaching position at Garden City High School in western Kansas. Janie also taught for the Garden City school district and loved getting to be daughter Holly's kindergarten teacher at Theoni Elementary, a tiny country school where she had a grand total of five students in her class.

In 1985 Rick and Janie were both hired by the Lansing, KS school district, a move which brought them eight hours closer to family in Iowa. Janie taught first grade for one year before becoming the school counselor in 1986. Once again, she enjoyed working in the same school district as Rick. He was the high school PE teacher and football coach. Janie taught thousands of students throughout her 40 years in education and loved and cared for each one of them. Mrs. Ho-Ho-Hodam was absolutely thrilled any time she saw a current or former student out and about in the community. In fact, the family couldn't go anywhere (including Disney World or the Grand Canyon) without Janie stopping to talk to someone (or multiple "someones") whose child she had taught or whom she had had in school. She was so excited when her daughter Holly accepted a job teaching kindergarten at Lansing Elementary in 2010. They had a lot of fun teaching in the same building. At the end of the 2010-2011 school year, she was named Educational Support Person of the Year for USD 469 and retired after four decades of touching the lives of children.

When they first moved to Lansing, Janie and Rick joined Wallula Christian Church. She was an active member for over thirty years, teaching Sunday School and attending regularly with her family. Her love for God and family defined Janie's life. She was an extremely loving and encouraging mother. She attended nearly every one of Derrick, Holly, and Davis' many sporting events and extracurricular activities and really capitalized on her summers with the kids, taking them to fun places and making memories. She was also a very supportive coach's wife. Rick's players loved Mrs. Hodam who always had a big hug and a Tootsie Pop for them after games.

Becoming Nana in 2007 was Janie's biggest joy! Eleven grandchildren arrived between August of 2007 and January of 2017 and Janie was so proud of each one of them! She carried a pouch of photos in her purse and liked to show her family off to anyone who would listen. The grandkids have wonderful memories of their Nana babysitting them, roller-skating with them, taking them to the county fair, sledding with them, making May Baskets together and delivering them around town, and when she was healthy (and the kids were much smaller), she was often photographed holding more than one of them at a time. She just couldn't get enough of her children's children!

In the summer of 2016, Janie began to struggle with Lewy Body dementia. The memory loss and cognitive decline was particularly difficult for her because of how much she loved people- she used to recognize every student she'd ever taught and could call them by name, even after they were grown up with children of their own. The fact that she just couldn't remember anymore broke her heart. The memory loss was compounded by depression and anxiety which greatly affected her sense of self and made her long for Heaven. Throughout the last five and a half years, Rick was lovingly and faithfully by her side. Just one month short of their 48 ^th wedding anniversary, with her husband and children by her side, Janie took her last breath. She finally got her wish. She got to go to Heaven where her memory was immediately and fully restored, she was reunited with her beloved parents and was able to meet Her Savior, face-to-face. Her family imagines that she's "zipping" down the streets of gold with pure joy on her face, stopping to hug and talk with those she recognizes (and probably many she doesn't!).

Janie was preceded in death by her father and mother. She is survived by her husband, Rick Hodam of Lansing; son, Derrick (Lesleigh) Hodam of Topeka and their children, Harmony Elizabeth, Union William Dwight, Zeal Peter, and Legacy Eden; daughter, Holly (Thomas) Kane of Leavenworth and their children, Haven Janelle, Glory Grace, and Deacon Frederick; son, Davis (Stephanie) Hodam of Oklahoma City and their children, Jael Maree, Canaan Garth, Calvary William, and Jubilee Charis; sister, Julie (Ev) Applegate of Clive, IA; brother, Bob Mann of Grinell, IA, and many beloved sisters and brothers-in-law, nieces, and nephews.

Donations in Janie's name can be made to the Helping Ministry of Wallula Christian Church, 23785 139 ^th St., Leavenworth, KS 66048. Like Janie, this ministry helps people in need.

Janie's family would like to thank Interim Hospice for making her transition to Heaven so peaceful.

All are welcome at her visitation on Friday, December 10 ^th , 2021, from 5:00-8:00 pm; at 6:30, the family plans a time of memory sharing and "celebrating" Janie's first Heavenly birthday. A memorial service will take place on Saturday, December 11 ^th , at 10:30 am. Both services will be held at Wallula Christian Church, 23785 139 ^th St., Leavenworth, KS 66048. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Davis Funeral Chapel, Leavenworth.