Janyce Ann Bohling was born April 5, 1938, at the Nemaha County Hospital in Auburn, Nebraska, to William D. and Augusta Bohling. She was the second of four daughters and grew up on the family farm in rural Auburn. She attended a one room country school, Rohrs, District 80, and graduated from Auburn High School in 1956. She was a life-long member of St Paul’s Lutheran Church, Hickory Grove, in rural Auburn, which has been attended by 6 generations of her family.

Janyce was married to Richard D. Heywood on November 23, 1956, at St Paul’s Lutheran Church, Hickory Grove and they raised four children, Debbie, Mark, Michael, and Kristy. They were married for 68 years until Richard’s death February 13, 2025. Experiencing failing health, Janyce entered nursing home care in June of 2023 and died June 12, 2026, at Pleasant View Care Center at Rockport, Missouri.

Janyce acquired many skills throughout her life. She was an excellent baker, a fabulous cook (who could taste something and go home and recreate the recipe), a preschool teacher in both Auburn and Johnson, Nebraska, a Bible School teacher, a babysitter, a soda jerk in the drug store, a grocery store checker, a wonderful grandmother. She was an excellent artist. She was an honor roll student and took continuing education for her childcare and preschool endeavors. She was a master at random acts of kindness.

Janyce was active in her church and in her community. She sang in the church choir, participated in Priscilla Circle and taught vacation Bible School. She provided transportation for Neighbor to Neighbor, had a neighborhood preschool, and provided daycare.

Janyce found joy in giving gifts and she was always on the look out for sales, clearance and good deals on things to gift others. She loved singing with her sisters and reminiscing with laughter. She enjoyed her grandchildren’s activities and attended every event she could fit into her schedule. She had a strong work ethic and always found many things she wanted to do or needed to be done. She was fun-loving and spontaneous when it came to visiting others or taking an excursion to see something or do something fun. She had a lifelong gift for making up songs to sing. She was always delighted to read for countless hours in different character voices to young ones. ‘Granny’ was always planning fun activities and excursions from baking and decorating endless sugar cookies to trips to the library, Treetop Adventure, and picnics.

Janyce loved her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, as well as her sisters, her large extended family, her friends, her church family, and her preschool students. She thoughtfully sent cards for many occasions, and never missed a birthday.

Janyce was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Richard Heywood, her sister Frieda Stahl and brother-in-law, Lawrence Stahl; her sister-in-law Norma (Heywood) Allen and brother-in-law Bill Allen; brother-in-law Glen Heywood and sister-in-law Marilyn Heywood.

She leaves behind her children: Debbie (Doug) Klotz, Mark Heywood, Michael Heywood and Kristy Mertes; her grandchildren: Nathan and John Klotz and Amy (Ryan) Wheatley, Ashley (Nathan) Williams, Amanda (Jordan) Daffer, and Grant Heywood, Cade (Tyler) Heywood, Kelli (Corbin) Camire, Ryan (Courtney) Mertes, Trent (Payton) Mertes, Lindsey (Spencer Zvacek) Mertes, Kara (Will) Eppert; her great-grandchildren: Xyla Wheatley, Madalyn, Laynie and Keith Williams, Clayton Daffer, Hattie Heywood, Callum and Ellie Camire, Maci, Avery, Emma and Breece Mertes, Benson Zvacek. And she leaves behind two sisters: Myrna (Ray) Meister of Fremont, NE and Ardis (Joe) Schenk of Bad Axe, MI.

A funeral service is planned for Tuesday, June 23 at St. Paul Lutheran (Hickory Gove) Church.. More details to follow.