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Janet Marie Hoppe, 67

| April 25, 2021 1:00 AM

Janet Marie Hoppe passed away peacefully in the early morning of April 18, 2021, with family at her side. Our beloved mom, daughter, sister, aunt and friend was born on Nov. 18, 1953, to John “Jack” Bell, Sr., and Betty (Barton) Bell, and was the oldest of five children.

Janet was born and raised in Spokane, Wash., and worked in banking for most of her professional career. She married Thomas Neilson and had two children, Anna and Thomas. They divorced in 1976. After one date with Randy Hoppe in 1978, he told her he was going to marry her. While his feelings developed ahead of hers, they did marry in 1979 and combined his two children, Kathleen and Ryan, into a blended family. They had one child together, Stacee. Randy’s work took them from the Spokane Valley to Alaska and then to Idaho. Randy passed away in 2009 and Janet lived out the rest of her life in Idaho in the dream home which she designed.

Janet was happiest when she was with her family, regardless of what they were doing. While she enjoyed the symphony and the grace and beauty of ice skating and gymnastics, she rarely missed a sporting event of her kids or grandkids, whether that meant sitting outside in the freezing cold or blazing heat, or inside in a humid gymnasium. Janet was very creative and, if she could visualize something, she could make it. Her grandmother and mother taught her to sew as a child, which led her to making prom dresses and even wedding dresses for family. She created amazing items for family, friends and charity with knitting needles, cross-stitch needles and crochet hooks. Janet loved a good crime TV show and almost always had a murder mystery novel tucked under her arm. She loved her family and never turned down a request to help a family member or friend who needed her. The world lost a kind, generous, courageous person with Janet’s passing and she will be missed by family and friends alike.

She is survived by her loving mother, Betty; kids, Anna Melven (Doug), Thomas Neilson (Terra) and Stacee Hoppe (Tim Morgan); step-kids, Kathleen Hoppe and Ryan Hoppe; siblings, John Bell, Valerie Ditore, Frances Aga (Paul) and Elizabeth Pike; grandkids, Nolan and Kaden Templeton, Andrew, Josh and Jordan Neilson, Dominic Meier, Colten Miles, Shilo, Keia and Armani Morgan; and many cousins, nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her loving husband, Randy Hoppe; father, John “Jack” Bell, Sr.; brothers-in-law, Bruce Pike and Anthony Ditore; and sister-in-law, Patricia Bell.

A service to celebrate Janet’s life will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, April 30, 2021, at Yates Funeral Home – Hayden Chapel, 373 E. Hayden Ave., Hayden, Idaho. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Hospice of North Idaho (www.hospiceofnorthidaho.org), Auburn Crest Hospice www.auburncrest.com) or to the youth sports organization of your choice.

Yates Funeral Home has been entrusted with final arrangements. Please visit Janet’s online memorial and sign her guest book at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.