Janis Chastain
Janis Chastain
Janis Chastain
Janis Chastain
Janis Chastain
Janis Chastain

Obituary of Janis I. Chastain

Janis Irene Chastain, 75, beloved wife, sister, mother, aunt, grandmother and friend, passed away peacefully on April 1, 2020, in Lacey, Washington, after suffering a stroke while recovering from a surgical procedure.

 

Janis was born to Herb and Cleo (Gillis) Worden on December 14, 1944 in Tacoma, Washington. The family moved to Tumwater, and later to Lacey, where they lived in the Union Mills area. Janis and her younger sister, Margie (Worden) Wyllie, enjoyed riding horses and fishing.  Janis graduated from North Thurston High School in 1963, where she enjoyed spending time with friends, many of whom she remained close with throughout her life. While in school, Janis worked for J.C. Penney, Pete and Gay’s Restaurant, and Dairy Queen. It was during this time that Janis met her friend Judi Chastain’s older brother, Jim (Ernie, as most of his family called him).  Janis loved to tell the story of how she and Ernie met: “in bed”!  Ernie came home from serving in the Air Force in Japan, and thought he’d surprise his little sister as she was sleeping. However, Janis was in Judi’s bed, and Jim ended up surprising her! The rest is history! The two hit it off very well, quickly became a couple, and married six months later, on September 18, 1964, in Olympia. They celebrated their 55th anniversary last September.

Janis and Jim started their family the next year, with the birth of daughter Debbie, and two years later with the birth of son, C.J.  Many years later, in the early 1980s, they added their “adopted” son from Germany, Klaus Neumann, who joined the family while in the United States as an exchange student in high school.

While the kids were still very young, Janis continued working. At first, she worked from home, to be with the kids, as a Tupperware sales associate, then later, when the family moved to Grays Harbor for Jim’s work with the Department of Fisheries, Janis honed her cooking skills as a cook at Bowerman Field, where she fed the aviation staff and travelers alike. Janis moved into furniture sales, working at Goldberg’s Furniture in Aberdeen. She also spent some of her free time volunteering with the Central Park PTA, where the kids attended school.

The family moved back to Lacey in 1975, and Janis continued to work for Goldberg’s in Olympia, ultimately going to work for Sears at South Sound Center, selling appliances. In her spare time, Janis enjoyed arts and crafts projects, making chocolate molds, honing her green thumb skills in the yard and garden, working on crochet and cross stitch projects, and canning vegetables from her garden with family.

Throughout her life, Janis always had a love of music and shared this on the family turntable. Sunday morning family breakfasts where a staple, and always included her special freshly baked “beer biscuits.” In the evenings, Janis found time to teach cooking classes for a new convenience tool, the microwave oven!

Janis began the final role of her career in the late 1980s, selling insurance for Allstate, inside the Sears store. This was perfect for Janis as she was able to maintain many of her friendships made through her work at Sears, and meet new people. Janis made many enduring friendships through her work at Allstate. In her spare time, Janis made lovely hydrangea wreaths (she was featured in Sunset Magazine) and collected tea pots, holiday nutcrackers, and art. 

As empty-nesters, Janis and Jim bought a Gold Wing motorcycle and began spending their weekends and holidays on the bike. She thoroughly enjoyed the comradery of the Gold Wing Road Riders Association and their treks throughout the state and to various parts of the U.S. 

When Janis retired from Allstate Insurance in the late 1990s, it provided ample free time for her and Jim to spend time traveling the U.S. in their first RV. Several years later, they upgraded to a new RV, and traveled more extensively through the U.S. They really enjoyed the southwest, and, along with several other couples, ended up spending many winter and spring seasons in “Happy Trails” in Surprise, Arizona, as full-fledged “snow-birds.” Janis thoroughly cherished and loved this time of her life. She loved the Arizona sunshine, and spent time with Jim and their large group of friends, sharing meals, having great conversations, participating in many hobbies (golf/lady putters, mahjong, beading, cooking/sharing recipes, growing beautiful potted plants), and enjoying family visits.

During the last 10 years, Jim’s health declined and Janis was tireless when it came to caring and advocating for Jim as he navigated a double kidney transplant and subsequent health issues. Eventually his health stabilized, and they were able to take trips to Arizona to see friends, to Ocean Shores, and to Hawaii with family. This was also a time when Jan reinvested in her friendships from high school, meeting a group each month to catch up and enjoy conversation. She and Jim enjoyed their Sunday morning breakfast routine, which included several spots they loved (Martin Way Diner, Fatso’s, and Denny’s). She also found time to tend to her beautiful potted plants and hanging baskets in the back yard.

When Jim passed in late October, 2019, Janis was completely heartbroken. After 55 years together, it was almost unbearable to be without him.  She tried, however, to build positive plans to fill her life with new things. Early this year, she booked a trip to Arizona to spend time with friends, and travel with them to Mexico on vacation. Shortly after arriving to Arizona, she experienced a hip break, which changed her plans. She returned to Washington, where she developed new health issues that ultimately took her life.

Jan was a great cook, had a tender heart for those less fortunate, and never met someone who wasn’t a friend. She could talk your ear off, was known to be pretty “feisty,” yet was quick to help, whether that was bringing Thanksgiving dinner to someone who didn’t have much, or preparing a dish for a friend’s party. She was happiest when with family and friends, sharing stories and recipes, or playing games at the holidays. She was ultra-proud of her family, especially her four grandkids who she adored, and enjoyed attending their various activities, sporting events, and staying current on their changing live (school and jobs) as they grew into adults.  She was happiest when she was by Jim’s side.

 

Jan was preceded in death by her husband, Jim; and is survived by adult children, Deborah Barnett (husband, John) of Olympia, Washington, and C.J. Chastain (wife, Carrie) of Montesano, Washington; “adopted son”, Klaus Neumann (wife, Oana) of Freising, Germany; and sister, Margie Wyllie (husband, Gordon) of Lacey, Washington. Jan was “Nana” to four grown grandchildren, Ashley, Brian, Kaleb and Mackenzie.

 

A Celebration of Life will be held Friday, August 27, 2021, 1:00 p.m. at the Lacey Community Center, 6729 Pacific Ave. SE, Olympia, WA 98503.

 

If desired, in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made by clicking on any of the following non-profits:  

 

  

Please leave condolences or share memories and photos on the Tribute Wall to the left.

 

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Friday
27
August

Celebration of Life

1:00 pm
Friday, August 27, 2021
Lacey Community Center
6729 Pacific Ave. SE
Lacey, Washington, United States
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