Obituary: Janice Newson

Janice was born in Bend, Oregon, to Maude Cordelia Compton and Harry Lynn Monical. She was raised with her brother, Gary, in a family that valued hard work, fairness, compassion, and treating every person with dignity. Those values remained at the heart of Janice throughout her life.

Music and the performing arts brought Janice joy from childhood. She learned piano as a young girl, loved dancing and musical theater, and after high school received a scholarship to study piano at the Sherwood School of Music in Chicago. Although she soon returned home to Oregon, music remained an important and enduring part of her life.

Janice attended Central Oregon Community College, where she met Kenneth Miller of Culver, Oregon. They married in 1963 and later moved to The Dalles, Oregon, where they raised their family. Janice was the mother of two sons, Jeffrey Bryan Miller and Craig Vincent Miller.

After her divorce in 1976, Janice found great strength and companionship in the friendships she formed in The Dalles. Judy Ringo, Karen Fulkerson, Libby Zieghler, Joyce Fargher, Elizabeth Ayers, Carolyn Thomas, and many others became part of her extended family, sharing laughter, companionship, and support through the years. She also treasured friendships that had begun during her high school years, including Carolyn Copenhaver/Carty, Claudia Chapman/Doyle, and Susie Burton/Delaney. She made a point of attending reunions whenever she could and remained grateful for those lifelong connections.

Janice returned to the stage through community theater, performing in musicals including “Fiddler on the Roof,” “The Sound of Music,” “Oklahoma!,” and “Carousel.” She was also a longtime member of the Cascade Singers, where she formed many enduring friendships. One of the highlights of her musical life came in 1999, when she traveled with the group to New York City to perform at Carnegie Hall.

Through her friendship with Lloyd Walworth, Janice also became an organist for the Christian Science church, sharing her musical gifts with others. Music was not simply something she loved; it was one of the ways she connected with people and brought joy into their lives.

Janice faced difficult challenges throughout her life, including breast cancer, which she survived, and the many challenges faced by her son Jeffrey. Through it all, she remained remarkably gentle, trusting, compassionate, and open-hearted. She possessed a rare sweetness and childlike innocence and continued to believe in the goodness of people.

She loved animals, especially cats, and had a particular fondness for pandas, penguins, and swans. She loved Christmas, decorating her home, collecting dolls and stuffed animals, traveling, and surrounding herself with things that brought her joy. In 2015, she fulfilled a longtime dream by traveling to Paris and Amsterdam with her son and his partner.

Janice is survived by her son, Craig; his partner, William Gustafson; and the many friends, relatives, and loved ones whose lives she touched. She was preceded in death by her son, Jeff, and her brother, Gary.

Janice was, quite simply, a good person — and a rare one. She met the world with gentleness, trusted in the goodness of others, and gave more love and kindness than she probably ever realized. Those who knew Janice were fortunate to have known her, and her memory will remain a blessing to all who loved her.

A funeral service will be held Oct. 10 at 1 p.m. at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.

Columbia Gorge News, Sept. 30, 2026