Jan Karen Kunz, 67, died Thursday at her home in Rexburg of complications from congestive obstructive pulmonary disease.


Jan was born July 11, 1946, in Driggs, a daughter of Burton Wallace Kunz and Leatha Moffat Kunz. She was the fifth of six children.


She grew up on the family farm in the community of Cedron just west of Victor. Jan recalled with mixed feelings the hours spent milking and caring for the dairy cows on the farm before and after school.

Always popular, Jan was named queen of a few social events during her years at Teton Valley High School.

Throughout her life, Jan was a high-stepper, starting with her participation on the Fabulous Featherettes marching team at Teton Valley High School. She continued high-stepping at Ricks College on the Vikadettes marching team and on dance floors throughout the west after that.


Jan graduated from Ricks College, now BYU-Idaho, and attended Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.


She worked for many years in the title and escrow industry while she lived in the Stockton-Lodi, Calif., area. She lived in Reno, Nev., for a number of years before returning to Teton Valley about 17 years ago to be near her aging parents.


Jan met Roger Porter at this time and they began living as husband and wife a little over 15 years ago. For the last several years Jan had been working in the mortgage industry.


Jan was a caring person for all things and people. She and her husband took in many cats at their Mill Hollow home over the years, and Jan treated each one special. She was the same with people. Jan was an active and proud member of Alcoholics Anonymous and would have celebrated her 10th years of sobriety next month.


Besides her husband and a host of cats, Jan is survived by a son, Todd (Kristen) Horsley of San Diego; brothers and sisters, Farrell (Colleen) Kunz of Springville, Utah, LaRell (Deanne) Kunz of Victor and Susan Martell of Farmington, Utah. She was preceded in death by her parents, a brother, Cleon Kunz, and a sister, Linda Kunz.


Services will be held Monday at 11 a.m. at the Harvest Hills LDS Ward Church, 7th South and Millhollow Road in Rexburg. The family will meet with friends Sunday 5:30-7 p.m. at Flamm Funeral Home in Rexburg and an hour prior to services at the church.


The family requests no flowers. For those wishing to, Jan would appreciate donations in her name be made to Four Paws Pet Adoption at 119 S. 4th West in Rexburg. She and her husband served on the board of that group for a short time before illness slowed her down.