Janice Olive Vanderhyde

We celebrate God's gift of life to Janice Olive Vanderhyde (nee Benner), who was made His child in Holy Baptism as an infant and called to her eternal rest on May 2, 2026.

Born in San Diego, CA, on October 24, 1933, to Forrest and Aline Ella (Pfau) Benner (married 15 years by then), Janice was the oldest of two children, a year and five months older than her brother, Roger Lee. Through the years her father owned a lemon grove, ran a corner grocery store, built houses, and even raised rabbits to sell. Her mother was a homemaker and loved to garden. Janice was artistic, played the violin in school, and remembered at one time having a cow, calf, chickens, and two turkeys. As a family the four enjoyed fishing and camping. They traveled to northern CA to see Yosemite, Sequoia and the coastal redwoods, and visited relatives in Ohio and Wisconsin.

Janice grew up in various suburbs of San Diego, including Lemon Grove, San Diego proper, El Cajon, La Mesa, Glenview, and Spring Valley, with many extended family members in the area. Baptized and Confirmed (1947) at Faith Lutheran Church in San Diego, her family transferred to Christ Lutheran Church, La Mesa, during her high school years. She started going with her cousin to Walther League meetings, where a certain Mickey Vanderhyde had been attending for a couple of years. Janice graduated from Grossmont High School in 1951 and enrolled at San Diego State College to complete a two-year business course in one year. Over the next five years she would work at two banks, do bookkeeping for an auto parts store, and work as a church secretary.

In 1953, at Presidio Park in San Diego, Janice and Charles were engaged near a garbage can (pointed out on future visits with their children). After Charles' first year at St. John's Lutheran College in Winfield, KS, Janice, with her parents' help, moved to Winfield, roomed with a couple of women a few blocks from campus, and began working. When Charles moved to St. Louis to attend the seminary, she also moved and again worked for two more years. Finally, they received permission from the seminary and married June 8, 1958. Rebecca was born in Lockport, NY, during their vicarage year, and David, Jonathan, and Michael were born during their first Call in Pecos, TX. Their family moved to Apple Valley, CA, in 1966 to a second Call; while there, they welcomed Nancy Allison (Mendoza) into their family. They moved to a third Call in Hesperia where they lived until retirement and their final move to Denver to be near their children.

Married sixty-six years, Charles and Janice enjoyed traveling, spending time with family and friends, and even flew to Thailand in their fifties to see Michael and Patti. Janice loved and cared for her family and for her parents in their old age. She liked to cook, bake, sew, can, garden, fish, camp, hike, picnic, read, and sing hymns and pray with Charles for their family and others.

Janice was preceded in death by her parents, Forrest and Aline; her husband, Charles, and brother, Roger. She is survived by her daughter, Rebecca Haiderer (Don) of Aurora; sons David (Ginny) of Denver, CO; Jonathan (Michele) of Eau Claire, WI; Michael (Patti) of Aurora, CO; "adopted" daughter Nancy Mendoza (David) of Vista, CA; eighteen grandchildren, and forty-one great-grandchildren.

In San Diego, Janice's earthly body will be laid to rest with Charles' to await with all believers in Christ the Resurrection on the Last Day. To God be the glory.