Obit: Habbestad, Janice Mary (1937 - 2018)

Transcriber: Robert Lipprandt
bob@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Belz, Conser, Gallistel, Habbestad, Jackson, Lyon, Shewan, Zimick

----Source: The Record - Review (Abbotsford, WI) 9/11/2018

Habbestad, Janice Mary “Jan” (Belz) Zimick (25 JAN 1937 - 31 JUL 2018)

Jan Habbestad was born Janice Mary Belz on Jan. 25, 1937, in the village of Athens, Wis., in the county of Marathon. She was the fourth of six children born to Edward Hugo Belz and Eleanor Cecilia (Gallistel) Belz. Her father was the postmaster and her mother, a homemaker. She was valedictorian at Athens High School 1954 and a member of the choir.

On May 10, 1958, Jan married Richard Zimick. They had five children together and many adventures moving across the United States and Canada, finally to land in Lebanon, Ore., in June of 1974, where Jan finally felt she was home. She loved the temperate weather, the flowers, the bounty of the local harvest, and the access to the beautiful Oregon coast. Jan was a successful and talented business woman all of her life. Over a span of nearly 40 years she owned and operated five retail businesses: western wear, farm and ranch supply products. She was a board of director for Oregon State Bank.

On July 23, 1983, Jan married George “Dave” Habbestad. Together, they owned and operated Cherry Tree Farm supply in Philomath, Ore., for 15 years before retiring in 2008. They enjoyed the next many years touring around the country by car, touring national parks and visiting relatives and friends from the West to East coast and back. They also traveled to Norway to attend weddings and visit family and friends. Jan’s favorite place to visit and relax was in Kailua-Kona, on the Big Island of Hawaii. A Hawaiian atmosphere could always be felt at her home, with food, music and the coming together of family and friends.

On July 31, 2018, a door opened, and a familiar face appeared with loving arms to provide her comfort and no worry. She left us here on earth and joined the choir in heaven. Family and friends will miss her beautiful smile, quiet gentle voice and optimistic love of life. We will meet again, Somewhere Over the Rainbow.

She is survived by her husband of 36 years, Dave Habbestad of Monroe; her sisters, Greta Shewan of Laguna Woods, Calif., and Nan Lyon of Falls Church, Va.; brothers, Fred Belz of Quartzite, Ariz., and Richard Belz of Redmond, Ore.; her children, Gwen Conser (Stuart) of Albany, Mitch Zimick of Newport, Dirk Zimick (Marci) of Lebanon, Eleanor “Wink” Jackson (Michael) of Redmond, Rebecca Zimick of Corvallis, Dean Habbestad (Lynn) of Carlton and Doug Habbestad (Jody) of Lebanon; 16 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren and counting.

Jan was preceded in death by her parents; and sister, Elena.

A celebration of life will be held Saturday, Sept. 15, at her home in Monroe.