Wear, Janice Sue

Janice Sue Wear, 71, of Iowa City, formerly of West Liberty, passed away Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009, surrounded by her family at the Windmill Manor Nursing Home following an extended illness. Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at The River Community Church, 3001 Muscatine Ave., Iowa City, with Pastor Gayle Mitchell officiating. Family burial will be in the North Prairie Cemetery, West Liberty. Friends may gather from 5 to 8 p.m. today at the church. The Henderson-Barker Funeral Home, West Liberty, is in charge of arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Iowa City Hospice or The River Community Church.

Online condolences may be made to the family at

Janice was born May 4, 1938, in Belle Plaine, Iowa, to Fred and Pauline (Heller) Kotezy. She grew up on a farm in Marengo with her twin sister, Sharon Lou (Kotezy) Behounek. She graduated in 1956 from Iowa Valley High School in Marengo.

In 1957, Janice married Leonard Brezina. From that union she was blessed with three children. In 1974, Janice married Elvin Wear. Janice was a 30 year Shaklee distributing supervisor. Janice and Elvin enjoyed going to dances and traveling. Janice had a great appreciation for her church and church family. She enjoyed cooking, baking and bringing her family together.

Survivors include her children, Dorrance (Lori) Brezina of Urbandale, Jonie (Brezina) Novotny of Iowa City and Philip Brezina of Belle Plaine; stepdaughters, Donna Schulz of West Liberty and Carla Morris of Nichols; stepson, Lauren (Nancy) Wear of West Liberty; granddaughter, Brooklyn Novotny of Rockford, Ill.; grandson, Theodore Craig-Brezina; great-grandson, Peyton Novotny-Duy; sister, Sharon (Donald) Behounek of Chelsea; five stepgrandchildren; and 10 stepgreat-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; grandson, Benjamin Novotny; and two stepgreat-grandchildren.

Janice's family would like to thank the staff at Windmill Manor and Iowa City Hospice for their loving care they provided.