Janice Ruth Gilbert was born May 21, 1923, in Prairie City, Iowa, the daughter of George R. and Kate (Hess) Gilbert. She attended Prairie City schools, where she played and excelled in girls' basketball. Following graduation from high school, she attended the University of Iowa in the nursing program. While here, she enjoyed basketball in the Iowa City Recreation League. It was here at the university that she met Kenneth A. Moss, who she would marry on Sept. 4, 1943 – a marriage that spanned nearly 70 years! The couple made their home in Iowa City on a dairy farm north of town. Ken took care of the farm, while Jan took care of the family and home. Jan also enjoyed working outside the home, first for friends for a number of years at Varsity Cleaners, and then later for over 30 years, in the OB-GYN Clinic at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, taking care of "Jan's babies."

Those close to Jan and even those just acquaintances knew a meticulous, intelligent, frugal, sincere, persistent, passionate and compassionate woman. She was all of this when it came to her family, her jobs, her travels around the world, her card games of bridge and euchre, her gardens of flowers and vegetables and of course the Iowa Hawkeyes! Just hours before her death, she asked her family if the Iowa women's team had won their game.

Jan has been an active part of First United Methodist Church in Iowa City for over 70 years. She was a member of the West Lucas Farm Bureau Women, President's Club at the University of Iowa and a staunch supporter of Iowa Athletics through the Kenneth and Janice Moss Scholarship Fund which supports a new student athlete each year. She and her husband, Ken, were founding members of the Iowa City Athletics Boosters Club.
Jan was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Ken, in 2013; and eight brothers and sisters.