Janice Drye

Jan Drye's final wish came true, to be in the arms of Jesus, on July 27, 2023 in Kennewick, Wash., surrounded by her loved ones. She trusted in Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior, the rock and foundation for her life.

She was born on April 2, 1938, to Ben and Gwen Kubly in Monroe, Wisc. She was the oldest of six siblings: Richard Kubly, David Kubly, Keith Kubly, Kevin Kubly, and her sister Joyce Isely, who preceded her in death.

She married her high school sweetheart, John Drye, and had three children, Julie Drye Pasma, Jay Drye and Jodi Drye Ward. Mom adored her family and was overjoyed with her grandchildren: Joshua, April, Jonathan, Joy Anna Pasma, and BJ and Makenna Drye. Later on she was thrilled to enjoy her great-grandchildren Vaughn, Grey, Harper, Lincoln, Elsie, Sheppard, Charlie, Ruby, Luke, Campbell, Hadley, Finley and Beckham.

She graduated from Monroe High School in 1956 where her passions were choir, band, baton twirling, and drum majorette. She loved playing alto saxophone in bands and was an accomplished accordion player. After that she went to Lakeland Christian College for a year. Then she took a break to work as a secretary for the ROTC at the University of Wisconsin. She later continued her college career, attending the University of Wisconsin, graduating in 1965 with a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education.

When the family lived in Plains, she started the first kindergarten class in the basement of the Methodist church. She later taught second and fourth grade and served on the school board.

Mom also served in the community. She was president of the women's club, responsible for developing the Dorothy V. Johnson Park for Plains. Jan and John worked hard to establish the hospital in Plains as well.

Another of her love's was skiing. Many memories were made at Corona Lake Ski Resort, providing a ski school, making goulash for lunch sales, and overall working to keep the local ski hill open. After teaching for several years in Spokane, Denver and Plains she went back to school at the Gonzaga University School of Law. She graduated Cum Laude in 1979 with her Juris Doctorate. She practiced private law and worked at legal services in Spokane before eventually teaching and writing for the law school at Gonzaga.

She had a passion for serving others, initiating the domestic violence clinical program at Gonzaga, offering pro-bono legal services to countless battered and abused women. She was recognized as the attorney of the year award by the Spokane County Bar Association for her pro bono service. She realized another one of her dreams to obtain her private pilot's license, which she achieved in 1976.

With all the various life activities and directions, John and Jan's lives grew apart and they went their separate directions in 2004.

Some of her favorite memories were ski trips to Big Mountain and Blacktail Mountain. She took several trips with family and friends to Wisconsin, Alaska, Hawaii, Cancun, Mexico, Ireland, Switzerland, and a tour of Europe in her retirement years. Mom was an avid reader and diehard Gonzaga Bulldog basketball fan. She was active in her church in Dayton, where she sang in the choir and served as an elder. She was a member of the Red Hat Society, a group of senior women in Somers, who served the community.

She eventually moved to Kennewick, Wash., where she spent her remaining years close to her family. Mom lived a full life and will be dearly missed. She left a strong legacy to her family and will be remembered as a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend who exemplified a faithful follower of Christ.