Janice Cox, age 71, of Mahnomen, MN, died Thursday, August 12, 2010 at Sanford Hospital in Fargo, ND.

Janice Fay was born August 2, 1939 in Mahnomen the daughter of Orval and Beatrice (Gilbertson) Espe. She attended school in Mahnomen and graduated as the Valedictorian with the class of 1957. Shortly following high school, Janice was united in marriage to Lewis "Chub" Cox at First Lutheran Church in Mahnomen on June 2, 1957. The couple made their home in Mahnomen that summer then moved to Omak, Washington. While living in Washington, Jan worked as an operator for the local telephone company. In 1962, Chub and Jan returned to Mahnomen where they have lived since. Over the years, Jan worked at various jobs including the Job Corps, a secretary for Burt Ness and at First National Bank. She retired in 2002 as a bank officer after 30+ years of employment with the bank.

Jan was very involved and precise in all her work and met and worked with many people in the community. She was always helping out and worked as an EMT on the ambulance crew for many years. Jan and Chub loved to travel and took many trips, especially to the western states. They also enjoyed playing cards and spent many happy hours doing such with family and friends. Jan was always concerned and involved with her family's doings and took special interest in her nieces and nephews. She enjoyed a good deer hunt both in Minnesota and Washington. Jan was a very good shot and usually got her deer right away in the morning before the other hunters in her party. In her spare time, she also enjoyed crocheting and made many afghans for her nieces and nephews. Jan was a long time member of First Lutheran Church and its ladies aid. As a cancer survivor, she became an active part with the American Cancer Relay for Life activities.

Jan is survived by her husband of 53 years, Chub, of Mahnomen; two brothers, Orrin (Jeanette) Espe of Trenton, GA, and Harold (Terri) Espe of Ogema, MN; two sisters, Betty (Ron) Aanerud of Waubun, MN, and Nancy (Dave) DeCock of Fargo, ND; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents and a sister, Shirley Hedstrom.

Funeral Services will be held Monday, August 16, 2010 at 11 am at First Lutheran Church in Mahnomen. Visitation will be held Sunday, August 15th from 4-6 pm with a prayer service at 5:30 pm at the Anderson~Mattson Funeral Home in Mahnomen. Visitation will also be held one hour prior to the funeral at the church on Monday