JANET O. DANA September 23 1924 - April 29, 2013 Born the youngest of five children in Wellington, Ohio, to Norwegian parents, Karl John and Judith Olsen, Janet died peacefully in her sleep at her home in Kaneohe, Hawaii, amidst the cooing of morning doves and the cackle of geckos, her family at her side. A quiet woman with a keen sense of humor, Janet lived an adventurous life. She left the small town she grew up in to join the Cadet Nurses Corp. She received her RN degree from the Grant Hospital School of Nursing in Columbus, Ohio in 1945. From there, she worked and traveled with fellow nurses around the country. From a VA Hospital in Indiana, to one in Palm Beach, Florida, she even flew to Cuba to tour the hospital in Havana. While a private duty nurse, she accompanied a couple on a plane filled with snake skins to New York. She worked at the California Hospital in Los Angeles, California, before moving to the Queen's Hospital in Honolulu, Hawaii. While working there, she joined a group of doctors and nurses who toured the hospital at Kalaupapa on the island of Molokai. She married Leo Dana and together they raised five children in Burbank, California. An avid reader, she taught all her children the basics of reading before they started school. Being a nurse, her children grew up avoiding soft drinks and white bread. At Wellington High School she showed her school pride by being a baton twirler and playing the violin in the school orchestra. She was an active letter writer who maintained correspondence with family and friends far and wide. She enjoyed art, music, animals, and gardens. Her affinity for completing the daily crossword puzzle and watching Korean dramas was passed on to her daughters. She was a philanthropist who donated to many charities. She traveled the world, yet lived a simple life. Janet was preceded in death by her sons, Karl Dana in 2000, and Mark Dana in 2006. She is survived by her three daughters and two sons-in-law, Deborah Richman of Northridge, California, Jennifer Dana and Robert Orso of Covina, California, Diane and Damon Bell of Kaneohe, Hawaii, six grandchildren, Rachel Gordon (Lonney), Dina Richman, Leo Bell, Nicole Bell, Max Dana, Jack Dana, one great-grandchild, Keith Gordon and many loving nieces and nephews. As per her wishes, a celebration of her life will be held on July 20, at Lanikai, Hawaii, where her ashes will be scattered off the coast. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Hospice Hawaii, the American Cancer Society, or a charity of your choice. Her kind and gentle spirit will be missed by all who knew her.
Our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the deceased
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