Janice Slifka, 81

July 30, 1939 —

Nov. 3, 2020

 

CRESCO - Janice Elaine (Goldsworthy) Slifka, age 81, of Cresco, Iowa, passed away, on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020, after a tough battle with osteoporosis and multiple myeloma (blood cancer). 

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Lindstrom Funeral Home in Cresco. A visitation was held on Friday, Nov. 6 at First United Methodist Church in Cresco. A burial ceremony was held immediately following the funeral at the Kendallville-Eddy Cemetery. 

She was born on July 30, 1939 to Cecil and Lola (Daskam) Goldsworthy in Winneshiek County. She attended Kendallville Country School then Cresco High School, graduating in 1958. She married her high school sweetheart, Anthony (Sonny) Slifka, on May 25, 1959. 

Together they owned and operated a local business, Sonny’s Body Shop for 22 years, where Janice managed the office and bookkeeping. She also managed the books for Ti-D-Car and periodically for Cresco Tool & Die. 

She was actively involved in their four kids’ busy lives, volunteering as a Sunday school teacher, school room mother, Cub Scouts leader, 4-H mom and cheering at many sporting events. 

Janice was a life-long member of First United Methodist Church in Cresco and took great pleasure in actively serving her church through the UMW and church board. 

At an early age, she learned from her parents the joys of friendships through playing cards. There was always time for a few hands of euchre, 500, hearts or cribbage. Janice enjoyed hosting card parties for her ladies’ and couples’ bridge groups, and family holiday gatherings that always included sitting around the table playing cards together. 

Janice spent many years recording family genealogy, so her children and grandchildren would have a record of their heritage. She took great pride in connecting the past with the present. 

She loved to spend time outdoors in her flower and vegetable gardens, golfing with friends, cheering for the Iowa State Cyclones, Crestwood Cadets and Minnesota Twins and Vikings. She always looked forward to annual camping trips with extended family. She loved baking, trying new recipes and passing on family recipes to her kids and grandkids. 

Janice is survived by her husband of 61 years, Sonny Slifka; her four children, Mark (Deb) Slifka of Bettendorf, Iowa, Rick (Rachel) Slifka of Cresco, Jeff (Beth) Slifka of Cresco and Kris (Steve) Post of Clear Lake, Iowa; eight grandchildren, David (Kristi) Slifka of St. Paul, Minn., Andrew (Rachel) Slifka of Seattle, Wash., Emma (Nick) Trizzino of Bettendorf, Claire (Zack) Marotta of Bettendorf, Samantha (Chris) Williams of Ankeny, Iowa, Sonni (Tyler) Ricklefs of Des Moines, Iowa, Elle Kaiser of San Francisco, Calif. and Kyle Kaiser of Chicago, Ill.; six great-grandchildren, Maverick and Hailey Williams, Caden and Cole Trizzino, baby Trizzino to be born in February and baby Marotta to be born in March; three siblings, Howard (Jane) Goldsworthy of Cresco, Lynn (Robin) Goldsworthy of Rochester, Minn. and Linda (Lindsey) Lienhard from Cresco; sisters-in-law, Betty Zobeck of Cresco, Rosie Gooder of Cresco and LaVonne Roberts of Cedar Falls, Iowa; and many nieces, nephews and cousins, who she loved dearly. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, Cecil and Lola Goldsworthy; parents-in-law, Tony and Ella Slifka; brothers-in-law, Laverne Zobeck, Ron Roberts, Don Gooder and Jerry Slifka; and sister-in-law, Shirley Slifka. 

 The family requests memorial donations be made to the Kendallville-Eddy Cemetery, 3294 Co. Rd. A23 Cresco, IA 52136.