Janet Lindsley

Janet Marie Gibbons Lindsley passed away peacefully at her home in Long Beach, WA. on July 23, 2023 with family and friends at her bedside. She was born in Detroit Lakes, MN on May 6, 1940 to Elmer and Clare Bertram Gibbons, and attended and graduated from Frazee High School with the Class of 1958. After high school, she worked in Fargo before going to Great Falls, MT where she met Clay Lindsley who was from Long Beach, WA and stationed at Malmstrom AFB in Great Falls. They were married at Sacred Heart Catholic Church on January 28, 1961 by Msgr. Adam J. Junghans. She and Clay were married for 62 years. They lived for short periods in several states but eventually ended up back in Frazee, MN, where they built a turkey farm near Eagle Lake. They started adding children, including three of their own, and in the years to come, hundreds of teenagers found a home at the Lindsley Group Home. Later years they included Shelter Care for the County, Safe Home for abused families, and the care of brain injured young adults. Teenagers, both court placed and foster, sometimes rode their bike or simply got off the bus when they needed a safe place.

Jan's Lord was always number one in her life including daily Mass when possible and singing in a Choir in both MN and WA. Quilting and canning brought Jan many hours of joy through the years. She was the Charter President of the First Mrs. Jaycees in Frazee and led the search for some 7,000 FHS alumni for the first All School Reunion in 1990. Jan was a co-chair of all succeeding ASR's. In 1991, she and Clay closed their group home in Frazee and moved to Long Beach, WA where they opened two adult foster homes. More than 150 vulnerable adults found a home at Circle of Life Adult Family Homes over the next 15 years. After retirement, Clay and Jan bought a home in Florida, and over the next 14 years rotated living, finding the best weather in the three states, but always returning to Frazee in the Spring.

Preceding Jan in death were her parents, a son Nathan, and a foster son Aaron Reddy. Surviving is her husband Clay, two daughters, Nicole (Kyle) Betts, Billings, MT, and Jakki Lindsley of Laverne, MN. Six grandchildren: Aaron, Benjamin & Maximilion Lindsley, Kassie Betts and Dylan & Nathan Spillman-Lindsley, and two great grandchildren Maya and Demetri. Siblings; Joan (Kenny) Ketter. Jerry (June) Gibbons and Diane Mistelske, all of Frazee, and a "God-sent friend, like a third daughter," Andrea Noonan. There are numerous nieces and nephews, several of which Jan kept in touch with, especially Guy Lindsley and Annette Dunrud, and special foster kids Erwin and Lisa.

There will be a memorial service on Saturday, July 29th at 11am at St. Mary Catholic Church in Seaview, WA. There will be a Funeral Mass at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Frazee, MN with burial in Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery.