Janice Marie (Pehrson) Prouse

Janice Prouse (91) passed away peacefully on March 15 at Epiphany Assisted Living in Coon Rapids, MN, where she had moved to be closer to her grandson Nate.

Janice was born in Dixon, NE in 1934 to John and Mabel Pehrson. She attended all grades through high school in Dixon and went on to attend Wayne State College. She taught rural school for 3 years.

She married Howard Prouse in 1953 at Concordia Lutheran Church in Concord, NE, where she was baptized and confirmed.

Together Janice and Howard moved their family to Mankato in 1958. There they made a warm, involved, fulfilling life, with Janice keeping a welcoming home and Howard teaching in the Mankato State math department for 32 years. They loved their adopted hometown and were always eager to share their favorite places with any who visited.

After Howard retired, their adventures expanded—they began wintering in Arizona and were glad to create a new circle of friends.

Though they experienced significant tragedy in losing both children, she and Howard remained happy, curious, and most importantly strong and loving foundations for their two grandsons, Nate and Dylan, who thought of them as a second set of parents. 

Janice was preceded in death by her parents, sister Marjean, son Kevin in 1982, and daughter Lauri in 2008 and husband Howard in 2020. She is survived by grandsons Nate Blake (Coon Rapids) and Dylan Blake and his wife, Laura Lauck (Milwaukee); great grandsons Jack and Leo Blake; and several nieces and nephews. 

Visitation: 1pm to 3pm on Tuesday, March 24th at Woodland Hills Funeral Home in Mankato, MN. Interment will follow at Glenwood Cemetery in Mankato.