Janice Monteith Blanton

On July 14, Janice Monteith Blanton transferred from her temporary Earth residence to her permanent home in Heaven. A fraction of her earthly body will be deposited in the Webster Cemetery. At the same time, her spirit – without the benefit of a moving van – bypassed the cemetery, and in the twinkling of an eye, she was in Heaven celebrating the transition to her new residence.

We, the family, believe Janice found her new home so perfect that even she, a perfectionist, could find nothing that needed rearrangement. Jesus promised His followers that after He was crucified, He would return to Heaven and prepare a permanent home for them and all others who would believe, accept, and follow His teachings. Janice’s family believes she is in Heaven with a host of loved ones, and all of them are waiting for us to join them for a humdinger of a homecoming.

Janice was the daughter of Goldman and Essie Ashe Monteith, both of whom had been raised in the Great Smokey Mountains – they had temporarily moved to West Virginia, where Janice was born. A couple of years later, they returned to their beloved North Carolina to live the rest of their lives in Webster. Janice attended elementary and high school in the TVA-built school still standing in Webster.

In 1960 at the Webster Methodist Church, Janice married the love of her life, Curtis Ray Blanton. They were both attending Western Carolina University and were determined to complete their education. Upon graduation, they taught for several years in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School System. Later, they were called back to the mountains, where Janice established the Central Jackson County Library System, and Curtis became the first Assistant Principal of Sylva Webster High School. Four years later, they were recruited to Oak Ridge, TN, to fill management positions in the Atomic Energy Commission. For several years, Janice managed a series of programs for Union Carbide Corporation, the prime contractor for the AEC. She was head librarian of the three-plant Union Carbide complex until she was recruited to head up the Department of Energy’s nationwide classified documents repository, reporting directly to DOE headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland.

In 1994, with the proper international security clearances, Janice and Curtis were recruited to take positions in the United Nations Complex in Vienna, Austria. While their home base was Vienna, one of the most beautiful cities on Earth, they traveled extensively, setting up new programs throughout Europe, South America, and Canada. After almost six years, Janice and Curtis returned to Norris, TN, to sell their home and pray that they could find a home near Webster, North Carolina, where they could sit on the porch swings to watch sunrises and sunsets – reflecting on their journeys and to thank God for the exciting life they had lived together. At last, they were back in Webster, where they had taken their sacred marriage vows in 1960.

Janice is survived by her husband Curtis, son Sam (wife Sonja), and exceptional grandchildren Carter Elizabeth and John Riley. Janice was preceded in death by her parents, Goldman and Essie Ashe Monteith, brother Lewis Monteith, and sister Doris Hilliard. Sister Reba McGinnis lives in Oak Ridge, TN; sister Joyce Cagle, Murfreesboro, TN; and sister Billie Bryson, Webster, NC. Special nieces are Pat Weeks (J.W. and children), Pam Cagle (David and children), and special nephew J.C. Cagle (Jan and daughter).

Janice’s family would like to thank the doctors and staff at Harris Regional Hospital for the excellent care and unmatched compassion given to Janice and her family during her hospital stay.

A special Going Home Celebration is planned for Saturday, July 29, at 2:00 pm at Appalachian Funeral Home, 165 Skyland Dr, Sylva, NC 28779.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Janice's name to: Janice M. Blanton Scholarship Fund.  Memorials can be made through First Bank, Sylva NC.