Janet Fredricksen (McKenzie)

SIOUX CITY -- Janet Louise Fredricksen, 75, of Sioux City died Friday, July 15, 2011 at her home following a 10-year battle with cancer.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at St. Michael Catholic Church in Sioux City, officiated by the Rev. Gary Snyder. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. today, with the family present 6 to 8 p.m., and a prayer service at 7 p.m., at the Larkin Northside Chapel. Arrangements are under the direction of Christy-Smith Funeral Homes.

Janet was born on Sept. 6, 1935 in Vermillion, S.D., the daughter of Clarence and Genevieve "Jane" (Dandurand) McKenzie. She graduated from Bishop Heelan Catholic High School in 1953, the first four-year class to graduate from Heelan High. Later in her life, she attended Briar Cliff College in Sioux City, graduating in May 1988 at the age of 53.

She married Ronald A. Fredricksen on Nov. 24, 1955, at Sacred Heart Church in Sioux City. Ron became a Captain in the U.S. Marine Corps, and the couple was stationed at various U.S. military bases over the next several years. In 1965, they and their family moved back to the Sioux City area. They had four children, Scott, Craig, Steve and Janie. Janet was employed with IBP, Inc. for 20 years. Her final position there was corporate billing department manager. She was also the business manager at Heelan High School for seven years, and at Regency Consulting for three years. Before her retirement in 2010, Janet had been business manager at Ray's MidBell Music in Sioux City for eight years.

Janet was an avid music lover. In 1984, after her youngest child left for college, she enrolled at Briar Cliff College as a full-time music major. For four years, she was a full-time student and worked full time to earn a double music major in voice and piano performance, with a minor in business. She graduated summa cum laude in 1984, and was awarded the Distinguished Senior Continuing Education Award. For many years of her life before and after college, Janet directed choirs at St. Michael Catholic and First Presbyterian Churches in South Sioux City, St. Michael Catholic and St. John's Lutheran churches in Sioux City and the tri-state community choir, Siouxland Choralation.

Janet was a true lady of kindness, dignity, humor and intelligence. She was also profoundly brave and tenacious as she faced 10 long years battling three separate forms of cancer. She raised her family with love, humor, honor and tremendous strength during demanding and difficult times. She maintained unfailing support and belief in those she loved, especially her children and grandchildren.

Janet loved babies, roses, music, chocolate, reading, directing choir and time with her many loving and amazing friends. One of her great joys later in life was the time she spent with friends from her high school graduation class. The time shared at gatherings and the fellowship she experienced with the class of '53 meant the world to her.

Survivors include her children, Scott and his wife, Leticia of Worcester, Mass., Craig of Springdale, Ark., and Jane (Fredricksen) Wolf and her husband, Bill of Sioux City; sisters, Mary Jane and her husband, Bill Lamson of Omaha, Neb., and Dorothy and her husband, Ernie Christiansen of Sloan, Iowa; a brother, Dan and his wife, LuAnn McKenzie of Hokah, Minn.; 11 grandchildren, Karin, Jillian, Kelan and Liam Fredricksen in Massachusetts, Zachary, Olivia, Dane and Drake Fredricksen in Arkansas, Kent Fredricksen in Sioux City, Jacob Larson in Portland, Maine, and Emily Larson in Iowa City, Iowa; and the rest of her loving family including many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins.

Janet was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; her son, Stephen; and her sister, Ruth (McKenzie) Derochie.

Pall bearers will be Kent Fredricksen, Brian Sands, Ted Karpuk and Steve Stouffer.

Memorials in her name may be directed to the American Cancer Society, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), or the American Heart Association.