Janice Marie Byers, age 70, departed her earthly journey on Tuesday, November 26, 2019, in KCMO.  She was born January 28, 1949, in Kansas City to the late Mr. Roosevelt Byers and Osceola Moore Byers.  She was the third born of seven siblings.  She was preceded in death by both parents; her paternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Fred (Emma) Byers; maternal grandparents, Mr. & Mrs. Daniel W. (Ora) Moore; grandmother, Mariah (Archie) Moore; brother, Mr. Victor Allen Byers; a nephew, Keith Lamont Byers, Jr.; her special aunt, Mary E. Roseburr and a special friend, Diana Ford.

Janice went by many nicknames: "Jan', "Jan-Can", "JJ", "Jay", "Aunt GiGi", "Granny", "Gran-Jan", and "Smiley", she had a smile that would just melt your heart!

On November 10, 1968, Janice married Carl Maurice Taylor.  To this union they were blessed with three beautiful children; Kali Lashawn, Tyrone Maurice and Kimberly Renee'.  The marriage was later dissolved but they remained good friends.  On November 25, 2006, she married Minister Henry Lockett.  After a brief time this marriage was dissolved also.

She accepted Christ as her Lord and Saviour at a very young age and was a member of Metropolitan AME Zion Church.  While at Metropolitan, she served in numerous capacities.  At present, she was Leader of Leaders, served on the Board of Christian Education, Lifetime Lay Council Member, was a children's Sunday School Teacher, assisted in the Children's Church classes when needed, sang with the Adult Choir, the Mass Choir, Conference Choir and the Metronaires Choir.

When raising her three children as a single mom, she instilled the importance and values in them of going to Sunday school, church and most of all loving Jesus.

Janice was educated in the Kansas City, Missouri School District, graduating from Manual Vocational High School where she graduated third in her class in 1967.  She was on the National Honor Society, appeared in Who's Who and was a member of the Cheerleading Pep Club.  She briefly attended the School of the Ozarks, now called the College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, MO.  She also took Vocational Dress Making and became an exceptional seamstress.  Upon graduation, she was named "Vocational Student of the Year".  She was also voted and reigned as "Homecoming Queen" during her senior year.  Janice was a member of the NAACP.  She truly had a passion for contributing to charitable organizations, especially where children were involved.

She worked for General Motors Local #31 in the Fairfax District in Kansas City, KS for 34 years and 4 months, retiring in January 2007.  After retirement, she had a "special" group of friends whom she loved dearly.  They called themselves the "GM Ladies".  Their names are Beatrice Jordan Evans, Deloris Morris, Donna Wages and Judy Fergen.  God was truly in the blessing of these ladies in her life.

Janice's life enjoyment included spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, whom she loved to spoil and would do anything for!  She loved to travel, bowl and work crossword puzzles.

She leaves to forever cherish her memory: her children, Kali L. (Jeffrey, Sr.) Thurman of Phoenix, AZ, Tyrone M. (Maricole) Taylor of Lenexa, KS, and Kimberly R. (Eric) Allen; sisters, Mary Ann Dooley both of KCMO, Minister Rita (Wycliff) Williams of Lee's Summit, MO and Vanessa L. (Rev. James) Mahaney of Holt's Summit, MO; brothers, Tadar (Kay Byers) Wazir of Marshall, MO and Keith (Kim) Byers of KCMO; ten grandchildren, Sarah Williams, Eric "EJ" Allen, Jeffrey Thurman, Jr. Bre'Shell Grigsby, Shanika Thurman, Devin Allen, Erin Allen, Olivia Taylor, Laila Taylor and Ellington Taylor; four great-granddaughters, "beautiful twins", Sahar and SaRaya Thurman, Torrie and Taylore Connerly; great-grandson, Jeffrey Thurman, III "Tre"; seven godchildren, Tonisha A. Epperson, Aloni Davis, Vonzelle Davis, LaNeisa Davis, Ciante Miller, LaMerra Davis and Ronette Sheppard; special friends and cousins, Rev. Dr. Carlton "CC" Caldwell, Josanda Hart, Kevin Epperson, "GM Ladies", Deirdre McCoy, Carolyn Miller, Melba Ross and Angela Ross and a host of aunts, uncles, especially Jonas Byers; nieces, nephews and cousins.

Services for Ms. Byers will be held 11:00 A.M. Saturday, December 7, 2019, Metropolitan AME Zion Church.  Burial XII Gates Cemetery. Friends may call from 9:00 A.M. until service time Saturday at the church.

Thoughtful care and services provided by E. S. Eley & Sons Funeral Chapel, Inc .