Janice Dodge's Obituary
Janice Elaine (Ford) Dodge, age 83, passed away peacefully at home on August 6, 2018. We would like to thank all of her relatives and friends that visited during her last week. We would like to thank Optimal Hospice for all their help. Janice was born and raised in Oakland, CA. She also lived in Newark and Manteca. She married Harold in 1951 and they were happily married for 64 years until he passed in 2015. Janice had one sister, Lynne (Bill-deceased). She had six daughters: Pamela (Robert), Cynthia (Robert), Mechalina (Richard), Cheryl (John), Danette, and Annette (Edgar). She had 9 grandchildren: Jeremy (Melanie), Heather, Scott (Devanee), Allison, Rachel, Elliot, Travis, Jenna, and Marinka; 3 step-grandchildren: Brad, Zane and Mark; and 3 great-grandchildren: Haley, Gavin, and Harper. Janice loved to sing a Polish song while bouncing her children and grandchildren on her knee when they were young. She made it a habit to call all of her daughters on their birthdays and sing Happy Birthday to them over the phone. She shared her birthday with her daughter Mechalina and they always tried to celebrate together. They also played a game – when they called each other on their birthday they would see who could say Happy Birthday first. She attended Newark Presbyterian Church, Church at Chapel of the Chimes in Hayward, and Manteca Presbyterian Church. Most recently she attended church and bible study at Brookdale Senior Living Facility and even led a group of ladies in bible study. At Brookdale she was Resident Council President and was also in charge of welcoming the new residents. She loved all her friends and activities at Brookdale. Janice worked for Newark Unified School District for 19 years as an instructional aide and yard supervisor before retiring in 1993. She traveled with her family whenever she could. She loved cruising, camping at Big Basin and Pinecrest, Raiders’ Football Games, A’s Baseball Games, and Band Parent Club Activities at Newark High. She collected tea cups, spoons, and Hummel figurines. The color purple was everything to her. She loved scarves, jewelry, African violets, and orchids. She took great pleasure in drinking champagne and eating cheesecake. Some of her favorite things to cook were cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning, homemade tacos and tostadas, pancakes, spaghetti, beef goulash with poppy seed noodles, Polish food, fish sticks on Fridays, and hamburgers on Saturdays. She made the best foil wrapped potatoes cooked over coals when camping. She will be missed by all!
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