Janice Leonard

Carroll “Janice” (West) Leonard was born in Fairview, Oklahoma on March 13, 1943 to parents Clovis R and Mildred L (Sober) West.  She died at home April 17, 2021 from the effects of endometrial cancer.

Janice treasured the closeness of both family and friends growing up amid small town life in western Oklahoma.  Her loving parents provided constant nurturing in her early life.  Her extended family of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins would become enduring parts of her life.  Janice had two older brothers: Karl and Gerald, and a younger brother Neil.  When Neil was born, Janice tended to him as if he were hers to raise.  Janice would later attend school in Taloga, Oklahoma.  Her school was small; only ten in her Senior class.

Growing up, Janice contributed to the family, helping with the garden and cooking chores, and even working in the raising of cotton.  She excelled in 4H; loved sewing and placed nationally in the Make-it-with-Wool contest; and was Valedictorian of her high school class.  Janice worked hard to save money to go to college at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater.  Janice majored in Sociology, w3ith a specialty in counseling.  She was a caring and thoughtful person, and her friendships were an important part of her life.

It was at OSU that she met Robert “Gary” Leonard on a blind date.  By the time they were seniors, they knew that marriage was the next important step in their life.  Janice and Gary were married in Taloga, Oklahoma on August 15, 196, shortly after graduation.  They both continued their educations, attending graduate school at the University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri.

They would remain together as loving life partners for more than 55 years.  She was a sweet, caring person, careful shopper, and terrific cook.

Following graduation, they settled in the Dallas area, shortly building a home in the small community of Plano, that would grow to become a major suburb.  Their marriage was blessed by the addition of two sons: Scott and Derek.  Janice quickly moved to make family the centerpiece of their lives together, while developing many lifelong friends.  The glue that would hold their lives together was the fellowship offered by a small new church in Plano called Christ United Methodist Church.  Especially important to them was the Family Living Sunday School class that focused on family and faith development.

In addition to nurturing their two sons, Janice had many interests including reading, spirituality, tennis, photography, and the card game Bridge, at which she always strived to win.  Competitiveness was a strong quality of Janice’s nature.  She did not like to lose at any sport of game, so she excelled at the ones she like.  When the opportunity for travel arose, it was Janice who researched and organized the family trips to Europe.

Janice took advantage of an opportunity to get into the business world, by joining the JCPenney company upon its move from NYC in 1987 to its new headquarters in Plano, Texas.  Janice used her eye for color and style to become a buyer in the JCP toddler area, buying for both retail and catalog.  She followed this career for more than ten years; and later becoming an independent sales rep for several toddler lines.

Following a five-year period of living in the D.C. area, Janice oversaw the rehab of her home in Plano, and she and Gary returned in 2009 to continue life there and be so much closer to Scott and Derek and their families and long-time friends.  Having granddaughter sleep over became a frequent blessing.

Janice is survived by her husband Gary Leonard; sons Scott A. Barnett and his wife Paula, Derek A Leonard, and his wife Amy; and their children Ashleigh, Michelle, Taryn, and Caroline; brothers Gerald B West and his wife Christel of Atlanta, Georgia and Neil West and his wife Barbara or Enid, Oklahoma.  She was preceded in death by her parents and brother Karl West.

A celebration of Janice’s life will be held Saturday, June 26, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. at Christ United Methodist Church, 3101 Coit Rd., Plano, Texas.