Janice Ann (Madden) Richmeier died in Hill City, Kansas, February 28, 2023, at the age of 96. She was born October 19, 1926,
Janice had very fond memories and stories of growing up on the farm with her siblings: Ida Alice, Gene and Marcille. Playing in the river and doing chores or getting out of doing chores made good stories. Getting into trouble was always Gene’s fault, according to Janice. Even though it was during the Dirty 30’s, she didn’t remember ever feeling like they were poor.
She attended grade school in Studley and graduated from Hoxie High School in 1944. Part of the time she and other Studley students rode together to high school, or she boarded in Hoxie during the week. After high school and during WWII, Janice earned an emergency teaching certificate by attending K-State and Fort Hays for two summers. She taught elementary school for four years, two of which were in country schools and two years in Studley. She had many stories about being such a young teacher who felt like a kid herself. Through the years Janice reconnected with some of her students and was always happy to know them as adults.
Janice married Albert
“Dutch” Richmeier March 1, 1949. Together they raised two children,
Wayne, and Laura, on their farm south of Morland. As a farm wife and
mother, she stayed busy with cooking, helping during harvest, raising
chickens, gardening, and canning. Janice was also a very involved 4-H
leader for many years. She was always full of ideas and knew how to
make them happen.
When her children reached high
school age, Janice began working at Citizens State Bank in Morland. She
worked at the bank for 23 years. While there she was eventually
promoted to vice-president and also served on the Board of Directors.
Janice was also very active in the NABW, National Association of Bank
Women. She served as president as well as all other offices in the area
NABW. Janice also served on the Graham County Library Board.
Janice
was very excited to become a grandmother to three grandsons and three
granddaughters. All her grandchildren remember happy times staying with
her on the farm. Grandma always had ideas for fun activities when they
got to stay with her and Grandpa. As soon as they could see over the
steering wheel, that fun turned into learning how to drive. She and
Dutch loved having them around and watching them in sports and other
activities.
Basketball was always their favorite sport both on television and in person. They regularly attended college games and post season tournaments. After her retirement from the bank, Janice and Dutch were able to travel. Many of the trips were bus tours to different parts of the United States. Along with seeing new things, they made many friends, some from as far away as Belgium.
The
love of quilting was also developed. She enjoyed hand quilting for
others with a Morland circle of friends. Her children, grandchildren
and great-grandchildren all received special quilts that were pieced,
and hand quilted by her.
Janice and Dutch moved to Hill City in 1997. They had many happy years there. During those years, great-grandchildren started arriving which added even more joy to her life. Janice was very active in the Hill City United Methodist Church. She enjoyed playing bridge and pinochle with groups in Hill City. Many of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren learned and loved to play pinochle with her.
Janice will be greatly missed and
always loved by her family: her children, Wayne and wife Lois Richmeier
of Morland and Laura and husband Doug Malsam of WaKeeney. She also
leaves to mourn six grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren:
Aaron, wife Becky, children: Kyle and Kaylee Richmeier of Hill City,
Erica Malsam of Kansas City, Craig, and wife Stacey, children: Tyler and
Annabelle Malsam of WaKeeney, Stephanie, and husband Nick, children
Hannah and Eli Wuertz of Olathe, Jana, and husband Brian, children:
Madison, Quintin, Aceton and Keaton Walt of Collyer, Neil, and wife
Ingrid, children: Savannah, Garrett and Stella Malsam of WaKeeney. She
is also survived by sister-in-law Blanche Williams, and many nieces,
nephews and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband Dutch in 2011 and her siblings and their spouses: Ida Alice and Jim Montgomery, Gene and Phyllis Madden, and Marcille and Don Currier. Other losses she endured were cherished nieces, nephews, and Dutch’s siblings and families.
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