Janet (Jan) Arlene McKenzie Ames, 80, returned to her heavenly home on February 24, 2014 while wintering in St. George, Utah, from her home in Victor, Montana. She was born May 9, 1933 in Burbank, California to Marjorie Evelyn Bond McKenzie and Leslie Henry Franklin McKenzie. She married Jim Bill Ames on November 17, 1951 in Maplewood, Louisiana, while Jim was stationed in the Air Force.
Jan was raised in Burbank and Newport Beach, California where she enjoyed spending time with her cousins, aunts and uncles, and grandparents. Jan especially enjoyed time spent at the beach as a young girl and teenager. She joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1954 and served in many positions in her local church, as well as serving two LDS Missions with Jim to the Latvia Mission in Estonia and the BYU-Hawaii Polynesian Cultural Center in Laie, Hawaii.
Jan and Jim started their family of seven children in Newport Beach, California, moved to Fresno, California, then moved to Sanger, California where they lived for many years raising their children on the ranch and then moved to their current home in Victor, Montana. Jan and Jim enjoyed traveling with Jim’s insurance business to many cities in the United States. Living in Montana, Jan and Jim loved to hunt and fish, pack-trips on their horses into the mountains and spending time with their family and friends. Jan also loved to make quilts and had a passion for genealogy and spent over 40 years compiling and researching her family.
She was preceded in death by her father; Leslie Henry Franklin McKenzie, mother; Marjorie Evelyn Bond, and a daughter; Jani Sylvia Ames.
She is survived by her husband; Jim Bill Ames of Victor, Montana, children; Karry (Randy) Raber of Hanford, California, Rhonda (Chuck) Gividen of Corvallis, Montana, Jim (Tina) Ames of Moses Lake, Washington, John (Lisa) Ames of St. George, Utah, Brenda (Alan) Belnap of Hanford, California, Deni (Tom) Robinson of Mica, Washington, twenty-four grandchildren, forty-five great grandchildren, and a half-brother, Randy Emerson of Longview, Texas.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, March 15, 2014 at the Stevensville LDS Church, 100 Middle Burnt Fork Road, Stevensville, Montana at 11:00 a.m. Interment will follow at the Victor Cemetery. Messages of condolences may be left for the family at www.whitesittfuneralhome.com.