Janice M. Maas

CHANA, IL ~ Janice Marie Maas, 77, passed away peacefully at Serenity Hospice and Home of Oregon, Illinois, on Thursday, January 9, 2025. Jan was born on August 1, 1947 at the U.S. Navy Hospital in Bremerton, Washington. She was the daughter of Louis Remmers, a veteran of WWII on the U.S.S. Alabama and Dagmar (Kesti) Remmers, who during WWII, worked at Boeing, building the dorsal fin of the Boeing B-17 and B-29 planes. Her parents returned to northern Illinois and she attended Rochelle Township High School, where she met the love of her life, Robert P. Maas. She graduated 1965, and on December 28, 1966, at the Elim Reformed Church of Kings, Illinois, during a snowstorm, they were married. She remained a member of Elim Reformed Church for the rest of her life. 

Throughout her life she loved to garden with flowers, watch birds, cook for her family and the farm crew. Her specialties were Swiss steak with mashed potatoes, spritz cookies, chocolate chip cookies and a chocolate birthday cake with whipped cream filling and buttercream chocolate frosting. She devoted the time in her life to others, by raising her children, and to the farmer’s way of life, feeding men and children. She hosted many family dinners, as well as in the days of threshing corn, feeding the farm crew dinner at noon.

Jan is preceded in death by her parents, and her son, Michael S. Maas. She is survived and missed dearly by her husband; daughter Deb (Gary Nefstead) Maas; sisters Carol (Olie) Warning of Rochelle, Illinois, Sharon (Mike) Crase of Kirkland, Illinois; grandchildren Ada and Henry; and several nieces and nephews. 

A visitation will take place on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, between 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. at the Elim Reformed Church of Kings, Illinois. Immediately following the visitation, a funeral service in her honor will take place at 12:00 p.m. (noon) at the church with Pastor Marvin Jacobs presiding. She will be laid to rest alongside her son, Michael, at White Rock Cemetery of Kings, Illinois. Memorials may be made to the Stillman Valley Fire Association for their service to our village.