Funeral services for Janis Hobbs, 90, of Van are scheduled for 2:00pm Wednesday, February 29, 2012 at First Baptist Church of Van with Rev. Mike Calhoun officiating. Burial will be in Haven of Memories Cemetery, Canton under the direction of Hilliard Funeral Home of Van. Visitation will be held from 6-8pm Tuesday, February 28, 2012 at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Van ISD Education Foundation, PO Box 697, Van, Texas 75790.

Janis Jueline Rowan Allred Hobbs of Van passed away on Sunday, February 26, 2012, at the age of 90, after a wonderful life filled with family, faith, and laughter. Janis was born in Owlet Green, Texas, on January 2, 1922, to Ross and Alphia Rowan. The oldest of 3 children, Janis was raised in the Van area, graduating from Van High School in 1939. After graduating from high school, Janis earned her beautician's license in Tyler. She met her first husband, Otis Bernard Allred, on a blind date, and the two married in 1942. During World War II, Janis worked in Pampa, while her husband was stationed at the Army Air Corps base there. After the war, Janis worked as a bank teller in Lubbock while Bernard earned his B.S. in Geology in 1947. Janis and Bernard raised two children, Don and Libby. Bernard worked for Union Oil and the family lived in Midland, Oklahoma City, and Houston. After the death of her first husband in 1981, Janis returned to Van and built her new home. While in Van, Janis met and married Bill Hobbs in 1987, and began to build her legacy as a strong community leader who invested a great deal of time and attention into her community and her family. Janis was a member of the First Baptist Church of Van for 31 years, serving on the church building committee and as the church wedding planner for many years, was a member of the Van Fine Arts Club, the Van ISD Education Foundation, and the Van Chamber of Commerce.

Janis Hobbs, my mother, was an amazing woman. She grew up poor and was determined to make a better life for herself and her family. No task was too great for her to take on - she was a self-taught cook, baker, seamstress, and artist, winning awards at the State Fair for her oil paintings, and winning years of blue ribbons for her cakes at the Van Oil Museum auction. She never stopped giving of herself to others, and loved her family dearly. Even after the early deaths of both her first husband and her son, my mother remained strong and created a new life for herself in Van. Ever the beneficiaries of her generosity, she made sure that my family and I had what she called a "lollipop on a low limb." Her spirit and good humor will be greatly missed by all those who knew her.

Janis is preceded by her parents, Ross and Alphia Rowan; brother, Wallace Rowan; husband, Otis Bernard Allred; son Don Allred and infant daughter, Brenda Gail. She is survived by her husband, Bill Hobbs of Van; brother, Neilon Rowan of College Station; daughter and son-in-law, Libby and Jeff Turner of Coppell; granddaughter, Haley Turner of Austin, and granddaughter Casey Turner Helmick, husband Gary and soon-to-be great-grandchild Baby Helmick of Haslet; step-son, Kelly Hobbs and family of Van; step-son, Danny Hobbs and family of Van; and step-daughter, Penny Griffith of Gladewater.