Janice Hunter Hoeschler

January 26, 1940 — February 26, 2024

Phoenix

(Note: This was self-written by Jan at the request of her husband.)

Janice Hunter Hoeschler, a proud Arizona native, was born January 26, 1940 at the original St. Joseph's Hospital in Phoenix, to parents Lois Cox and Franklin L. Hunter.

She attended Grandview School, and was a 1957 graduate of West Phoenix High School, where she was Student Body VP and President of the Student Council. In a pageant, she was chosen Arizona Jr. Maid of Cotton her senior year and was awarded a trip to Hollywood with her Mom (her first airplane ride!), and a full wardrobe of clothing for college.

She attended the University of Arizona, where by a flip of a coin (a choice between Kappa Alpha Theta and Pi Phi), she joined Kappa Alpha Theta and was a speech/hearing major. It was in Tucson, on a blind date, that she met the cutest and funniest man she had ever known, a guy named Terry Hoeschler. She ultimately proposed, he accepted, and they were married in 1959. Taking care of four wonderful sons, Mark, Jay, Todd and Doug—along with Terry—became her full-time career.

Always involved in her sons' activities, she was Cub Scout Den Mother, a Team Mom and PTA President, where she helped organize fund-raising projects. Her favorite was the annual Cherokee Little League softball game, with the Moms playing ball (The CheroShes), the Dads dressing as cheerleaders and the kids cheering in the stands. She was asked to organize the decorating of the Brophy Prep gym for a Fete de Joie event. A huge job, with no budget and a lot of angst and tears. But it was a black and white memorable extravaganza with a lot of help from many talented friends.

She was a member of the Jr. League of Phoenix and mostly loved participating in their annual Follies. She helped organize a project called Decision Making Skills at Cherokee school - a program for grade school students to learn how to make good choices in life.

With "Fun" being the mantra of the Hoeschler Family, Jan enjoyed helping to create some memorable Christmas cards with Terry, not to mention hosting some outrageous costume parties and loads of fun dinner parties with lifelong friends. The family cabin in Pinetop was a place where amazing memories were created by family and friends over the past few decades in the White Mountains.

Former members of Paradise Valley CC (where she got a golf hole in one and also helped win the annual family swim relay) and White Mountain Country Club (37 years) where she served on the Homeowner's Board and became Supreme Court Justice (the Supremes) for the almost world-famous Bullfrog Loop 4th of July parade and one of the original organizers for the annual WMCC Home Tour.

Appreciative of her Arizona heritage, her dad and grandparents arrived in Phoenix in 1921, she became involved as a docent and later president of the Historical League (AZ Historical Society) and member and past president of the Diggers Garden Club and Tumbleweeds Garden Club. This has always astounded Terry, since her home gardening and plant survival skills are sketchy, at best.

She was a former member of the Women's Fiesta Bowl Committee in charge of decorating for the Sunkist Brunch and Fiesta Bowl Ball back in the 1980s.

She loved to travel. Girls' bicycle trips to Napa and Vermont were such fun, Portugal, England and Italy were favorites, and she loved entertaining, cooking, creating and being with family. Food, and the act of feeding others was her love language. She also loved to read and at one time belonged to three different book clubs. Ski trips in earlier days were a wonderful family vacation. She did a lot of painting, oils and acrylic and pastels, always trying to capture a portrait of her grandkids, just for fun. Card games with friends in later years, kept her mind moving and up to date on the latest news. Jan always regretted not finishing college and having a "career", when many of her friends entered the workforce but she was always grateful to Terry that he was able to provide such a comfortable and fun-filled life to be able to enjoy such pleasures as Jan was able to pursue. Waking up every day to laughter and humor were special gifts of love he gave her. And watching her sons mature, thrive and marry remarkable women plus the addition of amazing grandchildren was overwhelmingly gratifying. Her grandmother, Dorothy Hunter, may have been the impetus for Jan's whimsical and impromptu lifestyle and love of fun - and Terry kept the fun going.

During the last 20 years, Jan and her husband Terry could be seen weekly feeding the less fortunate at both the Andre House of Hospitality and at the St Vincent de Paul dining room. Many fond relationships were formed over the years as they volunteered.

Jan was grateful for her Catholic conversion before she married and loved serving as Eucharistic Minister. Jan was so appreciative of the love from Terry, her children, grandchildren and extended family and so many longtime friends. She had a most wonderfully blessed and happy life.

Jan was predeceased by her wonderful brother, Raymond Hunter, her parents and her remarkable mother-in-law, Margaret Hoeschler.

Jan is survived by her beloved husband, Terry James Hoeschler, amazing sons Mark (children Lila and Eric and their mom, Suzy), Jay (wife Reba) and his daughters Casey (fianceé Locke) and Jessy (Mom Carolyn), Todd and Jane Thornton and daughters Emma and Abby, and Doug and Karen and his son Harry Hoeschler (mom Kimberly) and Lola and Ronan Bull (mom Karen). Brother Jim Hunter and his wife Joanne and sister in law Martha Hunter Henderson, (husband Charlie). Brother-in-law Frank Hoeschler, Sister and brother-in-law Lani Riddle and Howard Kantorowski.

Memorial service will be Tuesday, March 19 at 12pm, The Casa Franciscan Renewal Center, 5802 E. Lincoln Drive.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to Jan's favorite charities: St. Vincent de Paul, Andre House of Hospitality, or Hospice of the Valley.

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Janice Hunter Hoeschler, please visit our flower store.

In memory of Janice Hunter Hoeschler, please consider making a donation to one of the following charities:

The Society of St. Vincent De Paul
Andre House Of Arizona
Hospice Of The Valley (Phoenix, AZ)

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Service Schedule

Past Services

Mass

Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Starts at 12:00 pm (Mountain (no DST) time)

Franciscan Renewal Center

5802 E Lincoln Dr, Scottsdale, AZ 85253

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