Janice "Jan" Kistler

Janice (Jan) Kistler died at home under the care of hospice and her sons on the morning of April 5, 2024.

Born in West Bend, Wisconsin in 1935, she grew up in Racine; and had lived in the Tidewater area for 61 years. She graduated in 1957 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Art Education from the University of Wisconsin; and taught art for several years before having a family. In 1975, she earned her Master of Arts degree in Math at Hampton University and returned to teaching in the Math field. She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, the Alpha Iota Chapter. A longtime member of Emmanuel Episcopal Church of Hampton, Jan was active in many areas including the choir, altar guild, Kaiser-Reese Circle, mission team and served on the vestry several times and as senior warden.

Janice came from a pumpkin carving family that went public with “Pumpkin Master” carving kits in 1986; and carved pumpkins every year – as a child, student, teacher, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.

Jan and her husband Jack traveled extensively and achieved his goal of visiting all 7 continents long before they stopped traveling. They enjoyed ballroom dancing and entertaining at home. She had been a seamstress for many years and took up quilting upon retirement; and was a member of the Peninsula Piecemakers Quilt Guild for many years. She also enjoyed lunches out with a Red Hat group and with some old neighbors affectionately called the Greenwell Swells.

Jan is preceded in death by her parents, Paul and Dorothea Bardeen, husband John (Jack), half-sister Lois Copley and brother-in-law Willard Henkel. She is survived by three sons, Alexander Costen, Michael Costen, Nicholas Costen and wife Heather; step-son, John Kistler; stepdaughter Stephanie and husband Dennis Olsen; ten grandchildren and five great-grandchildren; sisters, Dione Henkel, Patricia Monroe, and Kathleen Grendzinski; brother, John Bardeen; brother in-law, Tom Grendzinski; and sister-inlaw, Kea Bardeen.

A Memorial Service will be held at 11AM on Saturday, April 13, 2024, at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Hampton. Inurnment at the church will follow the service. There will be a reception in the parish hall following the service with catered food, lemonade, tea and water.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Endowment Fund at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 179 East Mercury Blvd. Hampton, VA 23669.