Funeral homes often submit obituaries as a service to the families they are assisting. However, we will be happy to accept obituaries from family members pending proper verification of the death.
Janice Kay Martin, age 77 of Cannon Beach, Ore., and Indian Wells, Calif., passed away Feb. 10, 2018, after an eighteen month battle with cancer.
She was born Jan. 4, 1941, in Bismarck, N.D., Janice Kay Schlabach was raised on a farm in Driscoll, N.D., where she lived with her parents, a brother and four older sisters. Jan graduated from Driscoll High School and then attended Bismarck Jr. College in North Dakota.
In 1960, Jan moved west to The Dalles, Ore., to begin a new life adventure and be near her sister Lois and family. There she met Steve Martin and they were married Sept. 4, 1967. They traveled back to Jan’s home town of Driscoll and were married in her childhood church for the ceremony.
Jan and Steve joyfully added to their family adopting a beautiful baby girl, Stephanie, in October 1971. From that day forward, she was their finest treasure. Jan worked for Harvey Aluminum for many years and in 1979 she and Steve moved to Cannon Beach, Ore., and embarked on their next life chapter and partnership in the hospitality business and real estate development.
Over many years, they immersed themselves in hotel remodels, new restaurants, RV parks and community involvement. Jan was known for her incredible work ethic and rolling up her sleeves to get the job done. In 1993, Jan and Steve realized their dream endeavor as they built and opened the Stephanie Inn, which they named after their daughter, in Cannon Beach.
Today, people from all over the world come to Cannon Beach to be guests at the Stephanie Inn, and Jan warmly greeted every guest as if welcoming them into her own family home.
When Steve passed away in 2000 after his three-year battle with cancer, Jan carried on the business with the help and partnership of her son-in-law, Ryan, and her daughter, Stephanie Snyder. Jan retired in 2004, but remained active with her involvement at her beloved inn.
Jan’s greatest joy was her two grandchildren, Stephen and Kaylee. They were her priority and gave her great happiness as she watched them play sports or just laughing and hanging out with them.
Jan spent the summers in Cannon Beach and the winters at her home in Indian Wells, Calif., where she and Steve first made the desert their second home in 1986. Jan has endeared another large family of friends in the desert who loved her and wanted to be around her. Jan’s graciousness and commitment to her family, friends and employees through the years has made her a highly respected woman.
In addition to her love of friends and family, Jan loved to dance and dance and dance and played the piano wherever she found one. She shared her love of life with everyone she met and is remembered for her sincere caring, enthusiasm and her way of “saying it like it is!”
Jan is survived by her daughter, Stephanie Snyder, and her husband Ryan Snyder; grandchildren, Stephen and Kaylee; sister, Barbara Ness of Houston, Texas; and an abundance of nieces and nephews who loved and adored her. Jan will be greatly missed.
Services will be held on the following dates and times: Saturday, Feb. 24, 2018, at 1 p.m. North Coast Family Fellowship in Seaside, Ore. Reception to follow at the church.
Friday, March 9, 2018, at 1 p.m. International Order of Odd Fellows Cemetery, 13th and Cherry Heights Road The Dalles, Ore. Immediately followed by a reception at Sunshine Mill & Quenett Winery, 901 East Second Street, The Dalles, Ore.
Thursday, March 29, 2018 at 1 p.m., Desert Horizons Country Club, Club Room 44900, Desert Horizons Dr., Indian Wells, Calif., 92210
The family requests that donations be made to Seaside High School in honor of the Jan Martin memorial scholarship fund in lieu of flowers.
