Janice Wilburta Worley Soudbash

Janice Wilburta Worley Soudbash, 84, of Monument, Colorado, passed from this life to glory on Wednesday, June 8, 2022, at the UCHealth Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She was the daughter of Marvin and Zelma Worley of Poteau, Oklahoma. Born on January 14, 1938, at home on their farm just outside of town. Janice was born a twin, one of two sets of twins, and the only girl amongst her four siblings. Life was hard in those days, and it only grew harder during the war. Janice learned to rely on God from an early age and over the years her faith grew immensely. She became the rock of faith for her family and lived it out serving others, often behind the scenes.

Janice pursued higher education at Oklahoma State University, working hard to put herself through college to become a dietician. She then moved to Houston, Texas to complete her dietetic internship at MD Anderson and began working with the VA Hospital. While in Houston she met the love of her life, Martin Stanley Soudbash, and married on September 2, 1961. They enjoyed a loving relationship that grew stronger by the year, for 58 years. They had three children, a son Steve born in 1963, a daughter Suzanne born in 1966, and another daughter Linda born in 1968.

As the family moved across the United States and then to England, Janice worked in various school positions as a dietician and as a teacher. She loved to teach others how to cook and to bake. She became well known for her roll fondant cake baking and decorating, and her cakes even gained a spot on a 1996 film called “The Evening Star.” Most of all, Janice was a faithful follower of Christ, a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. She had a keen interest in helping others, women in crisis, single moms, and immigrants. She attended the Church of Christ and participated and led women’s Bible studies wherever she was and assisted with many children’s VBS programs. She loved to sing acapella hymns. Due to her devotion to the Lord, she was always on the go, thinking of others and serving them unconditionally.

Janice is survived by her son, Steve Soudbash, and wife Karen of Excelsior, Minnesota; her daughters, Suzanne Richter, and husband Geoffrey of Boerne, Texas, and Linda Holt, and husband Grant of Colorado Springs, Colorado; along with five grandsons, Caleb Richter, Seth Richter, Cameron Soudbash, Stewart Soudbash and Andrew Soudbash; three granddaughters, London Seward, Micah Richter and Morrigan Holt; a great granddaughter, Millie Richter; her brother Bob Worley of Fort Smith, Arkansas, and twin brother Jerry Worley of Hillsboro, Texas.  She is preceded in death by her parents, two brothers Steve Worley and Rob Worley, and her husband Martin Soudbash.

Funeral services will be Saturday, June 18, 2022, at 9:00am at the Evans & Miller Funeral Home in Poteau, Oklahoma. Burial will be at the Shady Point Cemetery immediately following. A catered lunch is being provided for all members of the family, and friends alike. Family members will be serving as pallbearers. 

Memorial donations can be made to Streams in Burkina Faso (Young Scholars Program), a mission in Africa that Janice supported over the last 10 years which has helped more than a hundred orphans gain vital education and life skills to escape poverty. Mail donations to: Streams in Burkina Faso, 29580 Ralph Fair Road, Fair Oaks Ranch, TX 78015.