Janice LaVerne Gourdin Obituary (1926

Our Mother, Janice LaVerne Gourdin, was a warm, compassionate, and vibrant woman. She always had a smile on her face, which endeared her to everyone she came in contact with, and it is a great testament to her nature that she formed so many long-lasting friendships over the years. Janice, a faithful servant of our Heavenly Father, was welcomed back into his arms on October 1, 2021 at the age of 95. She was a beloved Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother, Sister, Aunt, and friend. On June 9, 1926, Janice was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, to the late Roy Vernon Knight and Norma Foulger Knight. She was the oldest of four children — Darrell, Marcia, and Gordon. She grew up in Salt Lake City and completed all her formative education there. After graduating from East High School, Janice attended and graduated from the University of Utah with a degree in Elementary Education. After college, she taught elementary school for a time. She always loved teaching children! Janice was introduced to Leon Gourdin by Leon’s cousin Ray Brown. Janice lived in Utah, and Leon lived in California, and he courted her for three years from afar. She and Leon were married On June 10, 1947, in the Salt Lake Temple. Janice enjoyed quilting, crocheting afghans, crafts, growing roses, and collecting cookbooks. She made beautiful porcelain dolls, delicately painted the faces, and made all the clothes. Janice was a master puzzler. She loved the sense of accomplishment and has framed a lot of her favorite puzzles over the years. Janice loved Christmas and was very proud of her Christmas tree. She loved it so much that she kept it up year-round while she lived at Legacy. She loved spending time with her family and close friends. She was the biggest cheerleader for her children and grandchildren. She was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She loved her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and served him in the Temple, Primary, Relief Society, and Young Women. Janice leaves behind her children: Debra Gourdin Sherwood, Bruce Knight Gourdin and his spouse Suzanne, Carol Ann Shurtz and her spouse Stan. She is also survived by her brother Gordon Knight and his spouse Kathryn. She was preceded in death by her parents: Vern and Norma Knight, her husband Leon, her son Douglas Walter Gourdin, her sister Marcia Eliason, her brother Darrell Knight, and her son-in-law Rand Sherwood. A celebration of her life will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, October 9, 2021 at the Berg Drawing Room Chapel, 185 East Center Street, Provo, Utah. Friends may call at the Berg Mortuary of Provo on Friday, October 8 from 6-8:00 p.m. and on Saturday, October 9 from 9:30-10:50 a.m. prior to services. Interment, Provo City Cemetery. Condolences may be expressed at www.bergmortuary.com.