Jan 1952 - 2025
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing away of Jan Marlene Combs, beloved mom, grandma and wife, on Friday, February 14, 2025, after a short illness.
Jan was born on April 21,1952 in Edmonton, Alberta, to Stanley and Lucinda Carter. She was the youngest of two sisters. Jan would often recollect that she was discovered one time playing “clean up” by sweeping in the street before being moved to safety. Jan attended high school in Edmonton and could often be found having coffee in the evenings at the Saxony hotel or hanging out with friends in Laurier Park, singing as they walked home.
After high school, Jan worked for a finance company on Jasper Avenue where she met Dennis who taught driving at a driving school nearby. After seeing her with a mutual friend, he sought out out her name and called her at work for a date. Dennis was 15 years Jan’s senior and attractive with his XKE Jaguar (but taught driving in a sensible Dodge Dart).
Jan and Dennis married in December 1974 and moved to Olds a few years later when Dennis was working for Shell. Along came daughter Nancy in 1977 and another daughter, Lauren, in 1981.
Jan was terrific with numbers and enjoyed her work life. She was employed in the offices of Alberta Government Telephones, the Olds Agricultural Society, Olds College (payroll), and then took an opportunity with the Sears retail catalogue store in Olds. This led to management of the Sears store in Olds and developing friendships with co-workers. As Sears evolved its business practices, so did Jan, starting her own gift shop first and then a dollar store on the main street. This grew into a larger space which also held appliances along with parcel pick-up (and sometimes parcel delivery by her daughters.) Much time was spent by Jan and close co-workers, choosing and displaying inventory for the store and taking care of all the responsibilities of having her own business.
In later life, Jan met wonderful friends at health classes, which turned into many social opportunities. Jan treasured her times with friends, old and new, and balanced this with time on her own to recharge. Jan loved the monarchy, reading books (especially mysteries), British television, history, art, music, show homes, Dairy Milk bars and neutral nail polish colors. Memorable times were hotdog roasts with the family at Red Lodge Park and watching the mountains and sunset with Dennis west of Olds while sharing fries.
Jan will be lovingly remembered by her husband, Dennis, and her daughters, Nancy (Charles) Kenyon and Lauren (Neil) Gilbert. She will also be missed by her beloved grandchildren, Nichalos, Landon, and Rex, and her sister, Diane Carter.
A graveside service for family and close friends will be held at Olds Cemetery at 1pm on March 20, 2025, with a Come and Go time to visit from 2-4pm at the Combs residence on March 20. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the charity of your choice. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to West View Funeral Services in Olds.
