Janice Hanus

Janice Ann Hanus, age 75, of Iowa Falls, passed away Saturday, June 29, 2024, at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City. Janice was born March 16, 1949, in Carroll, IA, the daughter of George and Gail (Riter) Thacker. She graduated from Cedar Falls High School in the class of 1967. Janice received her bachelor's degree and master’s degree in Speech and Language Pathology from the University of Northern Iowa. Janice spent her career working with the deaf and disabled for Iowa Area Education Agency 267, retiring in 2006. On September 22, 2007, she was united in marriage to Stanley Hanus in Evansdale. Janice loved her children and grandchildren, as family was always first for her. She would light up with joy every time they would get together, especially at Christmas time, and loved decorating for the Holidays. Janice loved to travel, and by March of 2024, had vacationed in every state of the Union. She was especially fond of Orange Beach, Alabama, staying on the ocean beach and seafood dining. Janice vacationed in Belize, Europe twice, once as a young single girl in the 1970’s, and again with her husband in 2014, visiting Vienna, Austria, Prague in the Czech Republic, and the Christmas Markets in Nuremberg, Germany. When she retired in 2006, she and a friend traveled to China, touring the “Great Wall” and seeing the “Terracotta Warriors." She also visited Boston and walked the “Freedom Trail.” Growing up as a “city” girl, in 2008 she and her husband Stan built their dream home on a 6-acre acreage southeast of Iowa Falls. Over a few years she learned to love living in the country. She especially loved evening drives in their golf cart on the acreage, as this was nearly a daily summer event. Janice loved meeting new friends in Iowa Falls, and very much enjoyed playing Bridge at least 2-3 times a week, with friends in Iowa Falls and Waterloo. In Iowa Falls, Janice was involved in the Isabella Literary Society, the Barlow Memorial Library, becoming a SHIIP counselor (Senior Health Insurance Information Program) at the Iowa Falls Hospital, volunteering at the Iowa Falls Methodist Church, attended the Iowa Falls Methodist women’s Bible Study Group, served on the board of Edgewood, and volunteered time with the Wings of Refuge. She also served on the Foster Care Review Board in Black Hawk County. Before she retired, she loved her job as a Speech Language Pathologist, in which she was fluent in sign language and worked with the Deaf and Hard of Hearing at AEA 267 in the Waterloo/Cedar Falls area. In the end Janice was a kindhearted soul, who will be forever missed and dearly loved forevermore. Janice is survived by her husband, Stanley Hanus of Iowa Falls, three children, Mike (Laura) Melendy of Omaha, NE, Eric (Sophia) Carlson of North Liberty, IA, and Christine Darragh of Waterloo, Iowa; stepson, Matt Hanus; seven grandchildren, Josh and Maddie Melendy, Caleb, Samuel, and Jax Carlson, and Abigail and EllaJane Darragh. She was preceded in death by her parents, her sister, Denise Thacker Luttrell, and her brother, Dean Thacker. Memorial services will be 11am Monday July 8, 2024, at First United Methodist Church in Iowa Falls. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Robert Barlow Memorial Library or 110+ Women Who Care, Hardin County Chapter.

Janice Hanus

March 16, 1949 - June 29, 2024