Janice Kay Coy

Janice Kay (Douglas) Coy was born in Creighton, Missouri, on March 29, 1940, during the Second World War. She is the daughter of Willard and Flossie Douglas and is one of eight children. She departed this life after suffering severe respiratory failure on Saturday, May 30, 2015, surrounded by family and friends. Three infant children, a sister and twin brothers, as well as two older sisters, Jean Wagoner, Clinton, Missouri, and JoAnne Miller, East Lynne, Missouri, preceded her in death. She is survived by her daughter, Cassie, of Kansas City, Missouri, one sister and husband, Judy and Bob Hartzler of Garden City, Missouri, and a brother and wife, Bill and Sue Douglas, of Merritt Island, Florida; two brother-in-laws, George Miller, Raymore, Missouri, Joe Wagoner, Clinton, Missouri.
Janice grew up in Creighton and attended all twelve grades of school there graduating high school in 1958. Janice loved her school life and friends in Creighton, and she participated in every sport offered at the Creighton High School. Her height and skill gave her an advantage in basketball, and she excelled in it during her middle and high school years. This ability was the result of many hours of practice on the family backyard court with her siblings and friends. She held the Cass County scoring record for many years.
She married Kenneth Coy of Garden City, Missouri, in 1959. They had two children: an infant son, Michael Ray, who they lost, and their daughter, Cassie. Janice assisted her husband with his Jewell Tea Corporation position. After her divorce, a post operative disability halted a career in the insurance field and left her to raise her daughter as a single parent with few employable skills. As a strong-willed young woman, she did not let this slow her down. Her only work opportunity was cleaning homes for friends and grateful customers while drawing a low disability insurance check. Janice was strong-willed, outgoing, hard-working, very friendly and helpful, and many of the “customers” who employed her became life-long friends. She did not allow four cancer operations to stop her, and worked hard to build a happy and secure life for herself and her daughter, Cassie. In retirement, still wanting to contribute, she often volunteered at the Gillis Home for Boys where Cassie works. Her last day of volunteer work was just one week before she passed away.
Janice’s mom, Flossie, played an extremely important part in her life, but after “Grammy’s” death, Janice and her other three sisters found themselves as role models for many of their nieces and nephews. Janice took many of them into her home and under her wing when they were looking for work in the big city, seeking mature advice, or trying to adjust to life away from home.
Janice and Cassie were faithful members of the First Baptist Church of Raytown, Missouri. Attending Sunday school and church was always an uplifting experience for her. Highlights of each week for her was attending: (1) Monday “Taco Night at Eric’s” with family and friends in Garden City and (2) Wednesday evening dinner/fellowship hour with her “circle of friends” at her church in Raytown. Recently at a surprise 75th birthday party for her, hosted by her daughter, she was able to spend quality time with her family, her friends from Creighton, her friends from church, and her friends from Gillis. It was a true blessing for her—and for them--and her untimely passing is a shock to us all. Brother Bill and sister Judy will especially miss her weekly “hour-long” phone calls, but in some way, we must ALL learn to live without that huge “Janice” slice of life she has taken from us.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, June 3, 2015 at the Dickey Funeral Home, Garden City, Missouri with burial in the Garden City Cemetery.
Family suggests memorial contributions may be made to the charity of one's choice in memory of Janice or the Hope Network at the First Baptist Church, Raytown, Missouri.