Nona E. Janks

NONA ESTHER BOICE BEEBE JANKS Surrounded by family, Nona Boice Beebe Janks passed away on Thursday, April 1, 2021 at age 96, with a grateful heart for her many blessings.She was born on a farm May 24, 1924 to Gilbert Francis and Allie Pearl Bell Boice in Reno, Ohio.She was the matriarch of the family who listened and loved all. She was the longest living member of her family and chronicled her life in her memoirs “Made of Pioneer Stock” with autographed copies given to family at her 95th birthday. Nona will always be remembered for her amazing energy and enthusiasm, sense of style and fashion, love of flowers and gardening, and her commitment to her family and work. She is survived by her five of her eight children: Robert (Ramona) Beebe of Marietta, Michael (Natalie) Beebe of Shade, Brenda Beebe (Doug) Duncan of Williamsburg, VA, Patrick (Jayne) Beebe of Fleming, and Christina (Jeff) Masters of Scottsboro, AL; her two brothers of 15 siblings, James Donald Boice of Ashland and Larry Boice of Reno; and four step-children, Alan Janks (Sharon), Yvonne Kellogg, Anita Damiami and Susan Miniman. She is preceded in death by her two previous husbands, Dana Earl Beebe and Albin John Janks; daughters, Sharon Ashlock and Bonnie Beebe; son, James P. Beebe; granddaughter, Anna Laura Masters; brothers, Rev. Glenn, Gilbert, Ronald, Gary and Dale Boice; and sisters, Beulah Starkey, Mary Adams, Judy Astfanous, and Dorothy Beebe Weppler. She is survived by 15 grandchildren (Alissa, Branson, Dana, Robin, Alexandra, Heidi, Lacey, Ivy, Julie, Heather, Scott, Jacob, Joshua, Jordan, Jennifer); 22 great-grandchildren and 12 great-great-grandchildren, and her beloved Jack Russell, Roxie. During World War II, Nona was sent for special training in Baltimore where she was the final inspector of the B-26 “Marauder” airplanes for the Martin Aircraft Plant.Always a lifelong learner, she relished in taking classes from Cecil Community College in Northeast, Maryland.Nona was the owner of the Mecca Restaurant in Marietta for several years before moving.She retired from Strawbridge and Clothier at the Christiana Mall in Delaware (now Macy’s) where she was an “outstanding star” sales person for many years.Nona was a lifetime member of the VFW and American Legion, a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and the Vienna Baptist Church.She was an avid card player and spent much time in Elkton, MD with the Elkton/Northeast/Newark, DE Senior Citizen Center before moving to Vienna, WV in 2013. Nona recently moved in with son, Patrick (Jayne) in the home she raised her children.She enjoyed her clothes, jewelry, birds, violets, photos and made albums for all her children. Her family loved her banana nut bread and stews. Calling hours will be from 5:00-8:00 pm on Tuesday, April 6, 2021 at Lambert-Tatman Funeral Home at 3005 Grand Central Ave. Vienna, WV. A celebration of her life will be held at 10:30 am on Wednesday, April 7, 2021 and visitation one hour prior to the services at the Vienna Baptist Church at 3401 Grand Central Ave, Vienna, WV, with Pastor Bill Brown officiating. Interment will be at Tunnel Cemetery. Donations may be made to the Vienna Baptist Church or the Anna Laura Masters Scholarship at the Marietta Community Foundation, 100 Putnam St. P.O. Box 77, Marietta, OH 45750. For those wishing to attend the services, CDC guidelines will be followed, social distancing will be observed and masks are mandatory.