Janice Elaine (Hargis) Holcomb

It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of Jan, a truly wonderful wife, mother, nana, daughter, sister, aunt and friend.

She is in the hands of the Lord after a courageous year-long battle with pancreatic cancer. She departed while surrounded by family and listening to her beloved Christian music.

Jan leaves behind; husband Gary Holcomb, daughter Tara Holcomb, son Robert Holcomb, grand daughters Alyson and Ashley Shoenemen, father Robert Hargis, mother Ernestine (Thompson) Hargis, brother Ron (and sister-in-law Joanie) Hargis, nephew Matt Hargis, brother John ( and sister-in-law Chris) Hargis, niece Annie (Hargis) Love, Aunt Mary (Hargis) Rabe, as well as many cousins and a very special Great Aunt Effie Mays.

Jan was born in Salinas, CA. The family lived in Salinas with a very large, extended family. Her mother Ernestine is the youngest of 12 siblings and her father Robert is the oldest of 3 siblings. Many Sundays were spent eating at Nana and Papa Hargis's home with aunts, uncles and cousins. The annual Easter Picnic at the Indian's in Camp Hunter Liggett with the Thompson family was an event that was enjoyed for decades.

The family moving to Watsonville in 1967, the year Jan was entering high school, opened a chapter of her life in which she developed life-long friendships. The most special of these was with Tomasa Ramirez. Winning the Betty Crocker Home Economics award her senior year was an early indicator of her life-long passion for all things related to family, sewing and crafting. For many years, family and friends would search the exhibits at the Santa Cruz County Fair to seek out her entries and awards for quilting, needle-point work and other various types of exquisite and beautiful crafts. Recently she mentored her granddaughter Ashley to submit her own entries, carrying on a family tradition.

Jan was a fixture at local grocery stores. She started her career at the age of sixteen as a bagger. It was while she was working at Lucky Grocery store in 1971 that she met her future husband Gary Holcomb, who was employed as a butcher in the same store.

She held many managerial positions throughout her forty-plus years working in the grocery business and made many friends from fellow employees to vendors and customers included. Her daughter Tara and son Robert followed in their parent's footsteps, both working in the retail food industry.

Jan and Gary spent their time enjoying trips to Reno and Chukchansi to test their skills and luck. Many weekends in their youth were spent with Gary racing Volkswagens up and down California and Nevada. Jan was especially happy to go to the races in Las Vegas.

It was in retirement that her true nature would shine through, lovingly caring for family and friends as she helped many find their way through troubled times. Having time to volunteer at Linscott School while her granddaughters attended and picking them up from school and spending as much time with them as possible were times that she cherished.

Many special quilts and keepsakes which were crafted by Jan for all of her loved ones will be treasured by everyone who received them for the rest of their lives. One of the most special things she did was to create homemade cards for her family and friends to celebrate birthdays, holidays or even unexpected cards which were each filled with so much love and care.

Her mother and father moved back to Watsonville in 1998. Jan and her mother went on many adventures while they sought out various craft fairs and shops, loving every moment of their time together.

She loved to travel to Oklahoma to visit relatives and explore her Chickasaw roots, being an elder in her tribe. She was always lovingly welcomed into her aunt Effie and cousin Sharon's home.

Jan's love, compassion and care touched many lives in this world. Most of all is the family that she leaves behind and who she loved so completely and with all of her heart. She will be missed daily by all of her friends and family.

Upon her request no services will be held. With love, she wished for everyone to spend time with family and friends this holiday season.

Published in The Pajaronian · December 20, 2023