Mrs Janice Bean

Janice Lowman Tollison Bean, age 75, excitedly left this earth to meet Jesus on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, after enduring an extensive health battle. A celebration of life will be held on Monday, November 6th, 2023, at 10:00am at First Baptist Church in Foley, Alabama. A burial at Good Hope Cemetery, near Dozier, Alabama, will be held at a later date. Janice was born to William Ned Tollison and Janet Lowman Tollison (Stowers/Hughes) on March 21, 1948, in Pensacola, Florida. She was preceded in death by both of her parents, her sister, Peggy Tollison Metz, a nephew, Jack (Buddy) Metz, a brother-in-law that was like a father to her, Jack Metz, cousins, William Lee (Billy) Tollison, John Williams, Cathy Beasley Puckett, and Dan Merrill, along with the most difficult loss of all, her son Paul Eric Dauphinee. Janice is survived by her daughter, Laura Dauphinee Metz, her grandchildren (kids/grands), Tyler (Leslie) Dauphinee, Stephanie (Nick) Lawhorn, Jay (Kayla) Metz, and Blake (Samantha) Metz, her great-grandchildren (greats), Levi Dauphinee, Sawyer-Ann Metz, Miles Dauphinee, Corwin Lawhorn, Carter Metz, Briggs Lawhorn, and Adaleigh Metz. Janice anxiously awaited the birth of the next two babies and considered herself very blessed to have nine greats. Her eighth great-grandchild, Olivia Metz, was born just a few short hours after her Grammy went to meet Jesus. Janice’s ninth great-grandchild, Kolt, will enter this world in just a couple more months. We find peace in believing that Grammy felt the presence of the precious souls of these two greats as she left this earth to meet Jesus. We like to think that she got to hug them first! Janice is also survived by her niece, Patricia Metz, along with many other cousins and great-nieces and great-nephews. Janice spent her childhood in Pensacola, Fl. and with extended family in and around Dozier, Al. She experienced close relationships with her parents, sister, brother-in-law, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. She also maintained friendships with her childhood friends throughout her lifetime. Janice married young and was a military wife during the Vietnam War and many years beyond. Her first child, Laura, was born while her then husband was at war in Vietnam and her son, Paul, was born soon after he returned. She spent many years as a stay-at-home mom and volunteered many hours at church and in the school systems her children attended. She spent those early years raising her children and enjoying life with family and friends in various parts of the country. As her children got older, Janice went to school to become a Nationally Certified Surgical Technician and afterward a Certified Registered Nurse (RN). She had a long career working in the surgical nursing field in Meridian, Ms., Pensacola, Fl., and as a travel nurse throughout the country. She particularly enjoyed working in teaching hospitals and helping many doctors learn from a nurse’s perspective. Having been known as Momma D by friends of her children, she later also affectionally became known throughout her career and personal life as Momma Bean. To others, she became “Auntie Janice”, here and around the world. If you were her friend or colleague, you were also her family. In all the places that Janice worked and lived, she left a trail of friends that she adored. She was able to reestablish connections with many old friends due to social media. She cherished all the memories, in all the places, with all the people in her life. Although she and her computer went round and round, the connections and reconnections it allowed brought her much joy. In her later years, the highlights of Janice’s life were her grandchildren and her great-grandchildren. Grammy enjoyed as many moments as possible with all the grands and greats and loved to share about them to all who knew her or would listen. If you knew her, you probably felt like you knew them, as well. As her grands were growing up, she liked to say that she had “one sweet girl and three stinky boys” and she very lovingly called them all her little germ bags. Her grands will hear those phrases in her voice as this is read. All the way to her last days and hours, Grammy shared about the grands and greats with everyone she spoke to. She also very much loved all the spouses that each of her grands chose as her very own. She was so proud of them all! Janice loved and felt truly blessed in living long enough to see, know, and love so many of the next generations in her family. Her daily hope, outside of God, was in looking forward to the next big event involving her grands or greats! Janice was an avid reader her whole life and often had several books going at one time. One of her favorite places in the world was the Foley Public Library, where the ladies there were her friends and were kind and gracious in helping her get all the books she wanted to read. She also cherished her Sunday School class members and the ladies from the Community Bible Study. She loved to do most anything and often called her life activities “adventures”. You never knew what her “adventure” stories would entail. Janice remained close with her cousins and very much enjoyed being connected throughout their lives. She also enjoyed times with her church friends. Some of the best adventures were with her Sister/Cousin, Vivian. As first cousins, and having both lost their sibling, they shared a close bond along with their extended families. Janice also leaves behind her dear friends Deborah, Donna, and Carrie. Janice treasured her long-time friendship, even though they mostly lived states away from each other, with her dear friend, Beth. Janice and Beth went through decades of lifetime adventures and enjoyed sharing about their families through all of life’s phases. Some of Janice’s big adventures in her later years were with her best buddy, Lucy, who preceded her in death, and was greatly missed the last three years of Janice’s life. Janice credited Lucy with mentoring her and helping her redirect her life back toward Jesus. She called Lucy her “fixer” and all that knew the two of them will know that they will have a blast catching up in heaven. There will be tea parties and cotton and a whole lot of talking as they remember all their adventures, share family updates, and create new memories in heaven. All her many friends and cousins experienced many life events together and were very special to Janice. She always had a story to tell, or tell again, about them all. Janice faced countless joys and challenges in her life, but through it all she remained strong and faithful to God. After surviving cancer, among other life events, Janice told everyone, especially her grandchildren, that she was “Strong like Bull”. Her grands will also hear that spoken in Grammy’s voice as they read this. It is a legacy statement to them and will not be forgotten. Janice loved her life and the people in it. Janice felt very blessed by all the good, over the challenges. She was a proud 15-year survivor of breast cancer and found much hope in that victory. She loved her family and friends all the way to her passing. But above all, she loved God. In her last days, Janice had many conversations with God, which she shared with those of us around her in those last days. The conversations she had with God were tough and long, but true peace was obtained when the understanding was reached that her time on earth was nearly over. Janice vocalized this knowledge and her peace about it to family and friends. She shared Jesus with everyone around her in those last days and excitedly told all she was about to meet Jesus. She said it was going to be a great day! Janice, the Momma, Grammy, Cousin, and Friend, will be missed by all that remain and knew her. She was special, in her own way, to all the people in the role she played in their life. She would want you to all have peace, as she did, in knowing that she is with God, and would want you all to know God as your own personal Savior so that you can also have that same peace. There is peace in chaos, joy in sorrow, and hope in all things, only because of God. God is good all the time…. all the time God is good! All is well with her soul! Janice’s favorite flowers are daisies and gladiolas. If you would like to donate funds or gifts in her name and memory, please choose from the following options: Foley Public Library Operation Christmas Child fund at Foley First Baptist Church Directly to somebody you know currently fighting breast cancer and tell them they are “Strong like Bull” and can beat it.

Mrs Janice Bean

March 21, 1948 - October 25, 2023