Janice S Anderson-Gobel

Our beloved wife, mother, sister, grandmother and friend passed away peacefully on March 21 after battling a rare and debilitating brain disease. Her grace and gentle spirit will always be felt by those who love her.

Janice was born and raised in Los Angeles, growing up with her sister Leslie as an original “Valley Girl” in the San Fernando Valley. In a close-knit, loving family, Janice was adored by her parents and sister, cementing a spot in her dad’s heart as his “princess” and the center of his world.

After attending UCLA, she married Geoff Rowland and became a loving and devoted mom to her son Ryan and daughter Lisa. Amid life’s inevitable curveballs and challenges, Janice and her adored children eventually settled in San Diego.

An artist at heart, Janice followed her lifelong love of beauty, color and cosmetics and earned her esthetician license and began working at the spa at the Hotel del Coronado. Inspired by the beauty of her surroundings – and spurred on by her devotion to her clients’ well-being – Janice took a leap of faith and became an entrepreneur, opening her own business, The Wax Pot. As she liked to say, “We solved a lot of problems in there!” Her clients soon became a part of her tremendous circle of friends, enjoying art classes, lunch and travel. She was known as the “hub of the wheel” –- uniting groups of friends with her warmth and humor. In her free time, Janice was passionate about her volunteer work with Rady Children’s Hospital.

With her life filled with art, travel, friends and her beloved granddaughters, Janice was full of joy. But she had been unlucky in love, and so in 2015 she took another leap of faith (“You’re never too old”) and ventured reluctantly into the world of online dating. Her gamble paid off: On March 13, 2015, she met the love of her life, Mickey Gobel. It was the luckiest Friday the 13th in history for both Mickey and Janice!

Janice and Mickey truly lived a dream, traveling to favorite places like Jackson Hole and Hawaii, and spending as much time as possible outdoors. Mickey even joked that it was hard to find a picture of Janice without sunglasses! Mickey loved Janice’s zest for life and the joy she radiated, fondly recalling her penchant for singing in the shower. Mickey and Janice purchased a cabin in Big Bear, and Janice planned to retire this summer.

Janice’s faith was strong and she loved her church. Her faith – and the faith of her family – was tested when she was diagnosed with a rare and fatal brain disease February 16, 2018. This disease affects only 1 in a million people.

On March 21, 2018, Janice passed away peacefully with her husband Mickey, daughter Lisa, son-in-law John and granddaughters Lindsey and Lily by her side. We will always remember her beautiful spirit, infectious smile and kind heart. Her lesson to us is to live life to its fullest and enjoy the beauty that surrounds us – and it’s never too late to try.

Janice is survived by her husband, Mickey; children Lisa (John), Ryan (Julie) and Michelle; granddaughters Lindsey, Lily, Kate, Keira and Kamryn; and sister Leslie.

A celebration of life will be held on Thursday, April 12 at 10 am at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Coronado. In lieu of flowers, donations to Rady Children’s Hospital https://www.radyfoundation.org/donate are appreciated.

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