Janice Marie Voge (Benedict)

Janice Marie Voge (Benedict), affectionately known as Jan, passed away surrounded by her family on July 11, 2024, at the age of 75 at Essentia Health in Fargo, ND. Born on May 14, 1949, in Lamberton, Minnesota, Jan grew up imbodying a spirit of hard work, service, and community that would define her entire life.

Jan graduated from Lamberton High School before obtaining her certification as a Medical Laboratory Assistant from the Saint Paul Area Technical Vocational Institute. She devoted the majority of her career to the medical field, working primarily as a medical lab assistant in Springfield, Bismark/Mandan, and the Twin Cities. Jan retired from the University of Minnesota Medical Laboratory in the Twin Cities in September 2018. Her desire to continue serving led her to join the care team at Home Instead in Fargo, where she was cherished for her compassionate care and loyal companionship up until her last days.

Her servant heart prompted Jan to be a lifetime member and past president of the American Legion Women’s Auxiliary (Post 287) and she was actively involved with the Alzheimer’s Association, helping to plan their annual awareness walk. Her personal motto, “A stranger is just a friend that I haven’t met yet,” reflected her approach to life, always creating community wherever she went. Jan also found joy in gardening, baking and finding new recipes, crafting, and thrifting. She was a proud grandmother who loved attending her grandchildren’s sporting events and was known for her famous baking and canning, personal sense of style, and bringing a laugh to a party by playing the role of “Aunt Louise”. Her family meant everything to her, and she was always the first to step in and help wherever she could. Jan’s faith was most evident as she served others by loving them, caring for them, and modeling Jesus’ hands and feet.

She is survived by her daughters, Cheryl (Anthony) Masseth of Fargo, ND, and Rachael (Glenn) Caruso of St. Paul, MN; grandchildren Jayden, Easton, Kennedy, and Hudson Masseth, and Anna, Cade, and Truman Caruso; siblings Judy (Gary) Johnson, Leon (Jan) Benedict, Mark (Jan) Benedict, Kay (Darvin) Voge, Mike, Jon, and Jeff Benedict; along with many nieces, nephews, and extended family members. Jan was preceded in death by her parents, Kenneth and Esther Benedict, and her brother, Thomas Benedict.

A funeral mass will be held at Saint Joseph’s Church in Lamberton, Minnesota, on Thursday, July 18th, 2024, at 4 p.m., with burial and a time of gathering to follow. Guests are welcome to arrive to the church prior to the service for a time of personal reflection to honor Jan. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Jan’s name to the Alzheimer’s Association- Fargo Chapter, honoring her commitment to the cause. Jan’s legacy of joy, service, and community will be deeply missed and forever cherished by all who knew her.