Janna Young

Sunrise: Dec. 28, 1936. Sunset: Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022.

There are some who bring a light so great to the world that even after they have gone, the light remains, flickering in the souls of all they have touched during their time on earth.

Janna was born in Carthage, Mo., on Dec. 28, 1936, to loving parents Robert and Ava Ore of Burden, Kan.

The young couple had traveled to Missouri to visit relatives when Ava suddenly went into labor during Christmas vacation. Janna was tiny and premature, but a fighter from her very first day of life.

Grandmother Mary Medearis quickly whisked Janna into a warm oven to save her life, as there were no incubators available for premature babies at that time.

Despite these early obstacles, Janna thrived and grew into an energetic and focused young woman who became the “junior boss” of the family at age 7, assisting with farm chores, cooking, cleaning and other essential activities.

In 1938, Ava delivered two stillborn twin boys. In 1941, sister Mary Elizabeth Ore was born. The family was then complete.

Janna graduated from Burden High School (now known as Central High School) in Burden, Kan., in 1954.

During her years in school, Janna was active in plays, music and piano, serving as an accompanist for her school’s high school choirs and later for the First Baptist Church of Burden.

Janna married Frank Young on Jan. 14, 1955, in Newkirk and then established a home in Burden.

Later that year, their daughter, Deborah, was born in Winfield, Kan., and the couple relocated to Winfi eld for a few years before returning to Burden.

As a result of Frank’s career with Texaco, Inc., the family relocated frequently to areas with emerging oilfi elds in both Kansas and Oklahoma.

In 1965, Texaco promoted Frank to head roustabout in Kingfisher.

Janna commuted from Kingfisher to Central State College (now University of Central Oklahoma) daily for three years and graduated with a bachelor of arts with an emphasis in English and drama in the spring of 1968.

She obtained her master’s in arts with an emphasis in English the following year in 1969.

Janna began her teaching career at Okarche High School where she taught English, speech and drama classes and started the forensics speech program in the fall of 1968.

She was loved by her students and was voted Okarche Public Schools Teacher of the Year during her time there.

In 1973, Janna obtained a job as middle school librarian and established the new middle school library in Kingfisher.

Within a few years, she transferred to the high school where she taught speech, drama and debate classes until her retirement in 1994.

Janna was voted Teacher of the Year for Kingfisher Public Schools and later voted Outstanding Speech Teacher of the Year by the Oklahoma affiliate of the National Forensic League.

In retirement, Frank and Janna assumed many of the farm duties and responsibilities for the farm in Kansas, working together as a team to keep the farm moving forward until finally retiring from farming in 1998.

They became “winter Texans” and stayed in various locations during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Frank enjoyed fishing while Janna enjoyed swimming and reading.

These were incredibly happy years for both of them.

In 2002, Janna was elected to the Kingfisher Public Schools Hall of Fame due to her excellent work as an educator for the district for 21 years. Many students considered her to be their most influential teacher due to her love for her students and the performing arts.

Janna’s mother, Ava Ore, passed away due to a heart attack in the spring of 2002.

Later that year, Frank died of a heart attack while vacationing in Texas in December 2002, so Janna returned to Oklahoma where she would live the remainder of her life.

Frank and Janna were married 47 years.

In 2011, she moved to Spanish Cove Retirement Center in Yukon, where she worked as a volunteer for several groups within the community.

In 2016, she received Spanish Cove’s highest award as an Outstanding Community Volunteer who helped to organize and inventory items to sell at estate sales at the complex.

True to form, Janna made a difference in every place she lived.

On Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022, Janna passed away due to complications of metastatic breast cancer which had developed suddenly during the summer.

The family wishes to extend their thanks to the staff of Spanish Cove in Yukon and also to Traditions Hospice of Oklahoma City regarding her care during her last year of life.

Janna was preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Ava Ore of Burden, Kan.; her husband, Frank Young of Kingfisher; two stillborn twin brothers; and brother-in-law, Ron Cornett of Hennessey.

Janna is survived by her daughter, Deborah Maehs and husband Mark of Kingfi sher; her sister, Mary Beth Ore Cornett of Hennessey; her niece, Kimbra Shriver of Cushing; her great-niece, London Geyer (Holdin) of Cushing; several cousins, two step-grandchildren and five step-great-grandchildren.

Janna’s body will be on display at Sanders Funeral Service, 124 E. Broadway, Kingfisher.

The family will be present from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18, for anyone who wishes to extend their sympathies to the family in person.

A funeral service will be held at Sanders Funeral Service at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19.

A private graveside burial will follow later that day at the Burden Cemetery in Burden, Kan.

Donations in Janna’s honor may be made to the following organizations: Okarche Public Schools Speech Program, P.O. Box 276, Okarche, OK 73762; or to the Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children, 3800 N. May Ave., Oklahoma City, OK 73112.

In Janna’s honor, we ask that you attend a live performance of theatre or music during the coming year as you will keep Janna’s legacy going forward into the future.