Janice Miller Olsen Maxwell

December 13, 1932 – March 26, 2025

Janice Maxwell, 92, died peacefully on Wednesday, March 26, following a brief illness. She was blessed with great health for most of her life and seldom if ever went to the doctor. However, tripping on her yoga mat and breaking her hip at age 91, followed by subsequent heart issues led to her passing.

Janice was born December 13, 1932, at home in Hyrum, Utah, to Louis James and Maud May Lee Miller. She lived there until the third grade when her family moved to the Upper Falls Resort in Provo Canyon for a year and later to Olmsted at the mouth of Provo Canyon as her father worked for Utah Power and Light. Living in the canyon near the river was the making for many wonderful childhood experiences including hiking in the mountains, swimming in the river, skiing, skating, and sledding, whereby she developed a lifelong love and appreciation for the outdoors and nature.

Janice was born during the great depression. Money, jobs and food were scarce. Her family taught her to work hard, take care of things, and to not waste anything. Her summers were spent picking fruit (cherries, strawberries, peaches, pears, apples, and prunes), and working in the packing shed. She took over a paper route at age 12 that traversed Provo Canyon to State Street in Orem and vicinity by bicycle.

Janice attended Page School followed by Lincoln High School (grades 7-12). In high school she was on the girls' basketball team, in the ski club, a twirler in the band and student body secretary. She enjoyed typing, shorthand, and going to all the dances. Her mother was an excellent seamstress and always made sure her daughters had pretty dresses and formals. Janice married Rex Lamont Olsen following high school (1951), and they were blessed with three children. They later divorced (1958), and Janice raised the children on her own.

She started her career at Mountain Bell Telephone as a switchboard operator, following which she went to work for U.S. Steel at Geneva (her typing and shorthand skills came in handy as she had to pass a test to get hired). She worked at Geneva for 45 years in a multitude of capacities (switchboard operator, typist, receptionist, secretary, stenographer, billing clerk, cashier, and payroll clerk) and made many lifelong friends. Janice served as a volunteer cashier at the Scera Theater for many years and worked during ski season at Sundance as her kids were growing up.

Janice married Frank Leslie Maxwell Jr. in 1970. He passed away in 1999, at age 65.

Janice always enjoyed sports, hiking, aerobic dancing, and gardening. She took great pride in her yard and garden, and worked hard to maintain it even into her 90's. Her abundant garden produce was widely shared. Janice was a regular at Yoga, Zumba, and line dancing for many years up until her recent setback. She was very supportive of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren and regularly attended their activities and events.

At times Janice said she felt like she had a guardian angel watching over her, and that things "just always seemed to work out". Her hope for her posterity is that they can be happy in life, try to stay healthy and spiritually strong, and to be honest and kind to others—just as she lived her life.

Janice will be greatly missed by her surviving children; Danny (Robin) Olsen, Kay (Ruth) Olsen, and Kristy (Rick) Elies. She is survived by 11 grandchildren, and 26 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her beloved sisters, Shirley (Jim) Pyne, and Toni Daley as well as many beloved nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, and brothers, Louis Lee Miller, and Fred John Miller.

Visitations for family and friends will be held on Friday, April 18th, 2025, from 6:00-8:00pm and on Saturday, April 19th, 2025, from 9:30-11:30am at Walker Sanderson Funeral Home located at 646 E 800 N in Orem, Utah. Interment will be at the Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park located at 3401 S Highland Dr, Millcreek, Utah.