Janice “Jan” Eckland

Janice “Jan” K. Eckland, 81, of Cumming, GA, formerly of St. Edward and Fullerton, NE, passed away on October 17, 2022, at her home in Cumming, GA.

Interment will be at Evergreen Cemetery in St. Edward on Monday, November 14, 2022, with an 11:00 am memorial service at the cemetery.  Memorial donations may be made to the St. Edward Volunteer Fire Department and the St. Edward Cemetery.

Miller-Levander Funeral Home of St. Edward, NE is in charge of the arrangements.

Janice “Jan” Katheen Eckland was born on March 15, 1941, on a farm south of St. Edward, Nebraska to Kenneth and Clarisa (Cruise) Stevens.  She attended country school through the eighth grade and graduated from St. Edward High School in 1959.

On July 9, 1960, she was united in marriage to Ronald Eckland in Las Cruces, New Mexico, while he was in the serving in the Army, stationed at El Paso, Texas.  Jan loved the farm life of Nebraska (except for the mice.)  This love of animals was clearly passed on to her children who enjoyed cattle and horses.  When her kids started riding and showing horses, Jan stepped up and was the best “Horse Show Mom” around.  The family spent years traveling and showing horses.  When her children were grown, she started showing horses.  Jan worked in x-ray at St. Mary’s Hospital in Columbus, Nebraska and as a lab and x-ray technician at Fullerton Memorial Hospital in Fullerton, Nebraska until it closed.  After it closed, she worked at the Genoa Hospital in Genoa, Nebraska until her retirement in 1999.  Upon retirement, Ron and Jan relocated to Cumming, Georgia.  While in Georgia, Jan was able to continue showing horses with her children.  She also bred and raised several horses that went on to win national awards. Although she “retired” from showing horses, her love of horses never waned, and she returned to being the amazing horse show mom to Pam as they traveled the country going to shows.  She was active to the very end, living life, enjoying outdoor activities, and spending time with her family.

Jan is survived by her daughter, Pamela (Robert) Duer of Dawsonville, Georgia; son, Ron Eckland (Robert King) of Cumming, Georgia; granddaughter, Tara (Brett) Linton of Dawsonville, Georgia; special grandson, Ethan; several great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Lee Cressman of Mercer Island, Washington; brother-in-law, Larry Eckland of Las Vegas, Nevada; brother-in-law, Bob Eckland of St. Edward, Nebraska; sister-in-law, Robin Anderson of Columbus, Nebraska, and several nieces and nephews. 

She was preceded in death by her husband, Ronald Eckland; parents, Kenneth and Clarisa Stevens; brother, Marvin Stevens; mother-in-law, Mary Anderson; father-in-law, Oscar Eckland; brother-in-law, Richard Anderson; nephew, Gregory Stevens; and niece, Darci Anderson.