Janice Lucier (Shay) Jader
February 16, 1939 – November 25, 2020
Age 81 of Duluth, and Miami, Florida, died Wednesday, November 25, 2020, in Oakdale, MN. Janice was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on February 16, 1939, to Willard J. and Luella Lucier. She lived in Minneapolis for the first 18 years of her life, attending Jenny Lynn Elementary School and Patrick Henry Jr. and Sr. High School graduating in 1957. Janice attended St. Cloud State, majoring in Elementary Education. She married Melvin Shay in 1961, and from this union, her two sons Jeffrey and John were born. The family lived in Princeton, MN, where Janice taught second grade for two years before moving to Campbell MN and Carlton, MN In 1972, Janice started teaching for the Esko School District. Jan received her Master’s Degree in Education in 1979 from Macalester College while working at Esko until her retirement in 1999. In 1986 Janice married Michael L. Jader, an elementary teacher in Duluth. Upon both of their retirements, they bought a second home in Miami, FL, where they lived seven months out of the year. Janice was active in the Minnesota Education Association (MEA). She was president of the Esko Teachers Union, sat on the region and state governing boards of MEA/NEA. She served as the president of the Duluth Branch of the American Association of University Women and sat on the state board of AAUW for many years. Janice authored her biography over six years and published it in 2000; this was one of the accomplishments Jan treasured most. Janice and Michael were avid travelers. For more than 20 years, they traveled on their Gold Wing Motorcycle. As snowbirds in Florida, they turned their travel focus to seeing places they had previously only dreamed of; on two world cruises. Janice leaves behind her husband Michael of 34 years, her children Jeffrey (Hillery) Shay of St. Paul, John (Cathy) Shay of Atlanta, Michael (Alison) Jader Jr. of Leeds, England, Michelle Jader of San Francisco, her grandchildren Erin (Keith) Wall, Ginger Shay, John “Jack” Shay, Max Shay, Jenna Shay, Dillion Jader, Katie Shay, Hayden Shay, and Zachary Jader, and one great-grandchild Keith Lucas Wall. Additionally, Janice is survived by her only sister Carol (David) Smith of Golden Valley, MN. Janice was preceded in death by her mother, Luella, in 1989 and her father, Willard, in 2008. A virtual memorial service will occur in the coming weeks. In lieu of flowers, Janice asked that people donate to Patrick Henry High School Foundation phhsfoundation.org/ (Published in the Star Tribune on November 29, 2020)