Janice Follmann

Janice Follmann, 74, of Atlantic, Iowa, died Monday, December 5, 2022, at her home.

Janice Jean was born on February 1, 1948, in Colorado, the daughter of Dale and Leota “Lee” (Larsen) Fritz.  She grew up on a dairy farm near Fontanelle and attended Bridgewater-Fontanelle Community Schools.  Janice often told the story of how her and her best friend, Verlee would meet at a bridge nearby their homes and that on Wednesday nights the skating slab in Fontanelle was the place to be.  Janice graduated from Bridgewater-Fontanelle High School in the Class of 1966.  Following graduation, she earned her degree from AIB College of Business in Des Moines and came back to work as a legal secretary for Klever & VanGinkel Law Office in Atlantic.  A lot of her work while there was assisting in filing incomes taxes, likely a reason why to this day she disliked that time of year.

Who would have thought that an invitation from MYF (Methodist Youth Fellowship) in Atlantic would end in a love story and 52 years of marriage.  Dan couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw her come around the corner, all he could say was WOW!  He proposed to her in front of the Fontanelle Methodist Church on Christmas Eve the same place where they were united in marriage on June 26, 1970.  When the couple started their family Janice stayed home to care for the kids but also served a vital role in their pig operation for over 30 years.  She took care of the farrowing until they were weaned; Dan saying she was good at this because she was a lot more patient than him.  Janice could drive the 4-wheeler better than most and had an outstanding work ethic, she worked as hard as any man, which included chores and cleaning out the 100x24 pig house two times a week with a shovel.  She would time this right to be sure she was in the house before the kids got off the bus.     During this time, she also worked alongside Farmer Dan, as she lovingly called him, bringing in the harvest and also nurturing a deer in her basement and many pet raccoons.   Dancing brought the couple together and they continued two-stepping through the years.  They took lessons in Wiota and their favorite song to dance to was “Neon Moon” by Brooks & Dunn.  In retirement, the couple traveled south, a few of their favorite places being Mardi Gras, Corpus Christi and Sanibel Island.  Many days were spent cruising around in their PT Cruiser with their dog, Sugar Bear eyeing the view from out the sunroof.  The look on her face when she realized a trip to the car dealership to look for a beach car for friends was just a story to get her there was priceless.  She climbed into a shiny red Chevrolet Corvette to realize the plaque on the dashboard had her name on it, oh was she surprised! Janice owned two Corvette’s through the years and wasn’t shy to tell you she never lost a race to Dan.  In later years, they enjoyed attending car shows with their friends in “Gas Holes” car club. 

Janice loved to read, especially suspense novels from her own personal library.  The Iowa State Cyclones, Kansas City Chiefs and Kansas City Royals were her teams.  She was a country music fanatic attending many concerts through the years, some artists multiple times.  Janice could never get enough of George Strait, he was #1 in her book so much so that she had a few photos of him by her kitchen sink with a reminder to wake up every morning with a song in your heart.   She was an avid photo taker, capturing countless photos through the years.  Janice took a great amount of pride her home and would agree the amount of detail that is put into building a home is exhausting, but so worth it saying you have to build two to get it right and what a testament to the strength of your marriage.  No detail was missed in decorating for Christmas, she went all out and possibly caught a little grief from family about all she had ordered from the Spiegal Catalog, she loved to shop.  She was a fabulous cook, everyone loving her stuffing and macaroni and cheese and looked forward to sipping on her wassail at the holidays.   

At the end of the day Janice’s faith and her family were what kept her going.  She never missed one of her kids’ activities and was just as dedicated for her grandchildren at theirs.  Janice was an excellent listener and was a selfless woman; always 110% more concerned about the people around her than herself.    

Janice is survived by her husband, Farmer Dan Follmann; children, Dana (Ethan) Muzney of Van Meter and Dustin (Kara) Follmann of Atlantic; daughter-in-law, Amy Follmann of Anita; grandchildren, Ethan, Abby, Jack, Isabella, Sawyer, Sidney and Gauge; and many extended family and friends.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Dale and Lee Larsen; son, Brian Follmann (what a reunion that was); brother, Larry Fritz, who she thought the world of; and sister, Linda Syvertsen.

Per her request cremation has taken place and no services will be held.

Roland Funeral Service is caring for Janice’s family and her arrangements.  Condolences may be left at www.rolandfuneralservice.com.