Janice L. Bristow

Janice Lee (Leachman) Bristow was born July 18, 1943 in San Diego, California to LeRoy Joseph Leachman and Letha Rose (Craven) Leachman and departed this earth on February 14th, 2024 in Des Moines Iowa at Unity Point Hospital.

Her parents operated a wholesale egg business and employed many local women in this endeavor to assist in candling and producing eggs. This may also be where she developed her love of Mexican cuisine including baked enchiladas with hard-boiled eggs in them. Yum! After her father’s passing in 1951, she and her mother took the train back to Iowa to live. She stated that it was March – and was cold and snowy….and didn’t care for it very much. They settled in Winterset with family where she attended Winterset High School. She really enjoyed school and continued to stay in touch with her HS classmates throughout her adult years by staying active with the reunion committee.

She met and married Larry Wayne Bristow in 1963 and she was blessed with two children, Wende and Matthew. She attended Drake University pursuing an Art Degree, but home and family took priority for her. However, she never forgot her love of art! She excelled in creative pursuits including cooking and had “culinary adventures” with her daughter. She spent her career in the plumbing and HVAC industries doing dispatch for LB Plumbing/Clark-Peterson/Wycoff/and Loziers. She was a voracious reader – never wanting to get rid of books because they were her “children”. She really enjoyed watching bull riding and rodeo as well as a lot of public television programs like the “Iowa Ingredient.” She loved bluegrass music and the old-time gospels. She could quote dialogue from Andy Griffith episodes and was generally known to “have a coupon” for something.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her ex-husband. She is survived by her daughter, Wende (Jarrold) Bristow Barrett; son, Mathew (Shari Stoutenberg) Bristow; and grandchildren, Caleb and Kendal Bristow; as well as many extended family and friends.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, March 2, 2024 at New Beginnings Christian Church, 8631 Hickman Road in Urbandale Iowa 50322 with a Mexican luncheon to follow. The family will be available during this fellowship time to visit and reminisce. If you are unable to physically attend you may join us with a live stream on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@newbeginningschristianchur3379 (This goes live 5-10 minutes before services begin.) Please come and Celebrate the Life of this great lady!

Memorial contributions may be directed to the American Diabetes Foundation in memory of Janice and expressions of sympathy expressed to the family at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com

Print