On October 22 , 1922,  Ellen Marie Roberts was born on a small farm in LaPorte County to Daniel Munson and Faith Nan Walker Roberts.  She was the fourth child of the Roberts children sharing her childhood with Ethel, Max, Munson and Robert.  As a toddler age 4 1/2 Ellen's father tragically passed away.  Then when she was 11 years old  her mother was killed by a drunk driver while walking on a sidewalk along the road with her aunt near Battle Creek, Michigan.

Ellen was raised by her Aunt Hattie and Uncle Frank.  Growing up near the Kankakee River  in a modest home,  Ellen recalls the depression days and the tough times for the years that followed.  Uncle Frank became ill and sadly he passed away at the young age of 51 from stomach cancer.  She was holding his hand when he went to be with the Lord.  Ellen graduated from Hanna High School in 1941.

Following high school Ellen worked in a shoe factory in LaPorte until she was twenty years old.  She pursued her life dream of becoming a nurse at St. Catherine's Hospital in East Chicago.  Nursing school was expensive and depleted her finances, so Ellen left school moving to Ft. Wayne and working at General Electric during the World War II.

Virgil and Ellen were introduced by family.  Following a courtship of about four months, Ellen Marie Roberts and Mr. Virgil L. Jana were married on April 20 , 1946 in Knox.  They honeymooned in Florida and  shared 69 years of life's adventures. From their union came three wonderful children, Ronnie,  Bev and Wayne.  The family tree continued to grow with the added blessings of three more generations.

In 1952 the Jana's moved from Hanna to the Reiter Community.  Initially they cash rented and did custom farm work, but years later began to slowly acquire farmland east of Kewanna and other tracts of land.  From 1967 - 1984,  Ellen and Virgil were owners of a  productive chicken operation.

To relax they enjoyed introducing their family to camping.  They traveled from pop-up campers, a fifth wheel to a motor home.  The Smoky Mountains was a favorite destination.  They also enjoyed annual visits to the Indianapolis 500.   In the early years they drove a flatbed truck down with the grill and coolers so their view from the infield would be elevated.

Over the years Ellen enjoyed training her family's canine companions a variety of tricks.  Her most recent was Annie who entertained friends and could patty-cake with her front paws.  The proud matriarch of the Jana Family, Grandma Ellen was very proud of her legacy and overseeing five generations.  She looked forward to the holidays,  special family celebrations, attending the grandchildren's concerts and sporting events, as their number one cheerleader.

Left to cherish Ellen's memory are a daughter, Beverly J. Fish of Rochester; two sons: Ronald L. Jana and wife Virginia of Kewanna and Wayne E. Jana and wife Joanna, of Rochester; seven grandchildren: Jack Price, Fort Wayne, Jennifer Price, Rochester, Lisa Boyer and husband Ted, Edwardsburg, MI., Laurie Jones and husband Marshall, Brownsburg, Eric Jana, Chicago, Scott Jana and wife Lauren of Chicago, Kristen Murphy and husband Joe, Rochester; six great-grandchildren: Austin J. Boyer, Lillian Rose Jones, Carley Marie Hott, Leighton Ryan Jones, Lila Jane Jones, Owen Rockwell Murphy; one great-great- granddaughter, Sydney Boyer; special niece, Shirley McKinney; and special friends, Arnie and Laura Snipes and Karen and Jim Bryant.

Preceding Ellen in death are her parents Daniel and Faith Roberts; beloved husband Virgil on September 14 , 2015; sister Ethel; and the three Roberts brothers: Max, Munson, and Robert; son-in-law, Dr. William H. Fish; and her canine companion Annie, the tan and white Cavachon.

A celebration of the life of Mrs. Ellen M.  Jana will be at 1:00 PM on Friday, April 5 , 2019 in the Good Family Funeral Home, 1200 West 18 ^th St., Rochester. Friends may visit with the family from 10-1 on Friday in the funeral home.  Interment will be in the Rochester IOOF Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to The Fulton County Animal Shelter, 1540 Wentzel St., Rochester, IN 46975 or Grace United Methodist Church, 201W.7 ^th St., Rochester, IN 46975