Janice Lee Gilbert Stricklin

Our beloved matriarch was called home peacefully surrounded by family and friends on the morning of July 22, 2023. Janice was born October 19, 1946, in San Francisco, California to Clinton and Leola Esperson. She was the third of four children with her two older brothers, David and Donald, and younger sister Joanne. She spent her childhood growing up in San Francisco and Richmond before attending Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah and then California State University Hayward, where she majored in Mathematics.

Family was the most important thing in her life. She was blessed with four adoring children, Kevin Gilbert, Michael Gilbert, Kristen Jarvis, and Melinda McNamar with her first wonderful husband, Raymond Gilbert, who passed away in December of 1985, and then became mother to two stepchildren, Laura Stricklin and Paul Stricklin after marrying a saintly man who assumed fatherly duties to everyone in 1988. I can assure you firsthand that this was no easy task.

Our mom frequently basked in the love of family gatherings with as many of her fifteen grandchildren as possible at a time referring to the choir of chaos stating, “This is Heaven.” Whether she was helping someone with homework, making cookies or bread, or performing other selfless acts of service, she was most happy doing remarkable things for others.

She was an devoted genealogist serving in many different callings as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Her service to all those around her in life and in the church was a testament to her true character as a grandma, wife, mom, and friend. While her physical presence will be missed, her impact on all she touched will perpetually bring comfort and love to those who long for the day we will be reunited as an eternal family.

Until that day, we all miss and love you mom.

Her funeral services will be held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints at 101 Oakwood Drive, Fairfield, CA 94534 at 10:00 am on Saturday, August 5, 2023. After which, she will be laid to rest at the Cypress Hill Memorial Park in Petaluma, California. In lieu of flowers, please donate to Family Search at https://www.familysearch.org/en/library/donations

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