JANICE A. "NEECE" (NEWMAN) MAPES
Janice A. “Neece” (Newman) Mapes, 87, died peacefully on Dec. 19, 2012 surrounded by her loving family at Augustana Mercy Nursing Home in Moose Lake.
Janice A. “Neece” (Newman) Mapes, 87, died peacefully on Dec. 19, 2012 surrounded by her loving family at Augustana Mercy Nursing Home in Moose Lake.
Janice was born in Barnum on Dec. 12, 1925, the fifth of 11 children to Charles and Muriel Newman.
She attended Barnum High School, graduating in 1944. Shortly after graduation, she left to support the war effort, working in a Navy ammunitions plant in Hastings, Nebraska. Janice returned to Barnum where she met and later married Al Mapes. They were life-long residents of Barnum where they raised four daughters.
Janice was happiest when she was surrounded by family. She enjoyed the outdoors, camping, fishing, picking berries, and arranging picnics in the summer. She was well known in the community for her skill as a baker and won an impressive number of ribbons at the Carlton County Fair. Her most treasured award was a trophy given by special nieces and nephews for “Best Buns” after an especially busy summer baking for family weddings.
Janice worked at Barnum High School for 24 years first as a dishwasher and later a cook and is still known to many as the “lunch lady” who made those wonderful cinnamon rolls. She enjoyed attending music and sporting events at the school and was active in the Barnum Methodist Church for many years.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Allan; sisters, Avis Newman and Joyce Christopherson and brothers, Clem, Harold, Herman, Roger, and Gordy.
Janice is survived by daughters, Glenna (Rodney) Heikkila of Hibbing, Susan (Richard) Pittock of Denver, Muriel Mapes of Barnum and Kathie Mapes of New Brighton; loving granddaughter, Jacqueline St. John of Las Vegas; brothers, Ken (LeeAnn) Newman of Brooklyn Park and Jim (Evelyn) Newman of Barnum; sister, Carol (Joe) Watts of Canyon and many nieces and nephews.
The family would like to thank Dr. Kathy Brandli and nurse, Aris, along with the staff of Mercy Hospital and Augustana Mercy Nursing home for their kindness and caring hands.
MEMORIAL SERVICE: 11 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 27, 2012 in Barnum Community Methodist Church. Arrangements entrusted to Atkins-Northland Funeral Home, 801 14th Street, Cloquet. To leave an online tribute, see
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