Our mother, sister and grandmother ended her life's journey peacefully on January 6, 2016, after enjoying an eventful and full life.
Jane was born on September 28, 1937, the sixth child to Galen B. Van Valkenburg and Florence E. Rees. She grew up roaming the hills in the area north of Rock Springs and enjoyed complete freedom while exploring an imaginative, care-free childhood. Jane attended grade school, junior high and high school in Rock Springs. She graduated from high school in 1955. In high school she served as Secretary to the student body and was active in many activities.
Jane married Larry A. Johnson in June of 1957 and had three children, Laurie, Stuwert and Scott. Jane and Larry were divorced in 1967 and Larry died in 1975. Following the divorce, Jane moved to Ogden, Utah to attend a Radiologic Technology program at St. Benedict's Hospital. She completed the program, became certified and graduated from Weber State University with an Associates Degree. She worked for several years at St. Benedict's Hospital in radiology.
Jane remarried to Joy A. Ward in 1972 in Elko, Nevada and divorced him in 1992.
She continued her education at the University of Utah Medical Center and became certified in Nuclear Medicine. Because she enjoyed learning, Jane completed a baccalaureate degree from Weber State University and was hired by Weber State University to teach in the Radiologic Technology program. While working full time, Jane pursued further education and received a master's degree from Utah State University and a doctoral degree from the University of Utah in educational administration.
Appointed to the position of Department Chair of Radiologic Sciences, our mother worked at Weber State University for 33 years, retiring with the rank of Professor Emerita. During this time, she was very active in her professional organizations on a state, regional and national basis. She served as a Board member of the national certifying agency for eight years and the Board of the national accrediting agency for three years. Jane was instrumental in organizing and developing a national educators' consortium within her profession; developing and implementing an advanced level technologist's educational program that has a national impact in medical imaging; and had written numerous research papers that were published.
Although Jane had left Wyoming due to her schooling and work, she held the wide open spaces of Wyoming in her heart. Upon retiring, she bought property in Lander, build a home and moved back to her beloved state.
Among Jane's hobbies are arrowhead hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, reading and teasing her younger sister, Mary. She also enjoyed listening to all kinds of music, art and ballet.
Survivors are Laurie Winters (Greg), Stuwert Johnson; and two grandsons, Tyler and Chase Johnson; her sister, Mary Koritnik (Joseph); and brother, Howard Van Valkenburg. She is preceded in death by her parents, a sister Eva (Bill); and brothers, Galen, Robert (Enid) and Albert (Alice) Van Valkenburg; sister-in-law, Florence; and her son, Scott.
Cremation has already taken place. Her ashes will be spread to the winds in the red desert at a later date.
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