Barbara Janice Louden

“The light in the world is a little more dim since you left it to be with Him”.

On October 16, 2023, 4 days after her 79th birthday, Janice Louden (Barbara Janice Louden) passed away in Cincinnati, Ohio with her daughter Jennifer Morgan by her side as well as many across the country sending their love. 

Born on October 12, 1944 in Seattle, Washington, Janice was the youngest of four children. She is survived by her siblings Sarah (Sally) Packard, David Packard, and was preceded in death by her parents Harry and Lora Packard and her sister Kathy Packard. As a child, her family moved to Hayward, California where she graduated from Hayward High Farmer in 1962. She remained in the Bay Area and started a family, giving birth to two children - her eldest daughter Tracey Fowler and her son, Charles Loder. In 1980 she met Jerry Louden (deceased) and embarked on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure moving her and her two children to Jim River, Alaska, a remote rural maintenance camp ~250 miles north of Fairbanks. There, her youngest daughter Jennifer was born. Even in a community of just 8 families, Janice maintained her social calendar by planning game nights, childrens’ play-dates and dinner parties making lifelong friends. She had an amazing ability to blossom wherever she was planted and spread joy everywhere she went.  In 1990, Janice and Jennifer moved to Fairbanks so Jennifer could attend school and Janice dove head first into volunteer activities, including joining the PTA and eventually becoming Alaska State PTA president. Janice also worked as a special education teacher’s assistant at Lathrop High School. Janice loved to cook and would bring treats in for teachers and students regularly. She became involved with the Church and was baptized at First Presbyterian Church in Fairbanks, Alaska. Janice retired in 2003 moving back to California to take care of her sister Kathy as she battled cancer. Following Kathy’s passing in 2005, Janice moved to Corpus Christi, Texas to be closer to Chisa Yearwood, one of several half siblings on her father’s side. Other half siblings include Hana Packard, Jin Packard, and Kim Packard. With family spread across Texas, Arizona, California, Oregon, Washington, and Nebraska, she would make cross-country drives stopping in each of these locations once or twice a year to stay connected to family and friends, never hesitating to jump in the car and go. In 2011, Janice again moved back to California closer to her son, where she was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church in Hayward, California cooking weekly to feed the homeless and the church community. She loved her family and friends in California and continued her cross country driving adventures swappings states as her children moved until her final cross country drive in the Summer of 2018 at the age of 74. In 2022, Janice made her last move to Cincinnati, OH to be closer to her youngest daughter and start a new life at Seasons Retirement Community. For some people this transition would be difficult but there was never any doubt that Janice would thrive - she was social, outgoing, fun-loving and active. In her last year she would act as the unofficial welcoming committee for Seasons singing their praises and saying “hello” to everyone in the halls by name.  She stayed connected to loved ones in California and would make weekly calls to her “sisterhood” before rushing off to play dominos with her new friends. She joined Pleasant Ridge Presbyterian Church where she continued her loving tradition of making treats every Sunday. 

During her lifetime she touched the lives of many through acts of kindness and selflessness. Her generosity and compassion were a testament to her deep rooted faith and she will be missed by many. It didn’t matter how briefly you knew Janice, you were truly loved by her. 

A service to celebrate the life of Janice Louden will be held at Seasons Retirement Community (7300 Deerwester Dr Cincinnati OH 45236) Auditorium on Thursday, October 26th at 3 PM with a light reception to follow in the Atrium. We invite those who were touched by her presence to join us in remembering Janice. A second service will take place in California at a later date, please connect with the family if you would like details for that service.

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