Frances Janis Lee Carty, 81, formerly of Clintwood, Virginia, died at Glen Rose Rehabilitation Center, Glen Rose, Texas on Monday, July 13, 2020. She had been residing in Texas since July 2009 and at Glen Rose Rehabilitation Center since July 2016 due to Alzheimer’s disease.
Janis was born in Wise County, Virginia on October 5, 1938. She was the daughter of Eddie Hughes and Martha Jane Mullins. Her entire childhood and most of her adult life were spent in Dickenson County in the Clintwood areas of Caney Ridge and Rush Creek.
As a young girl, Janis was kept home to work on the farm, and was unable to finish High School. However, she always had a great love of learning, and took classes as an adult while being employed full-time. She ultimately earned a GED diploma, an EMT certification, a Home Food Preservation certification from Virginia Tech Cooperative Extension School, and two Associates Degrees from Mountain Empire Community College.
Janis was well known for having a strong work ethic, and often worked multiple jobs at the same time. During her working career, Janis was employed as a seamstress at Clintwood Garment. She also managed Dickenson County Cannery and worked as a nurse’s aide at the Clintwood Health Department, often working after hours cleaning locally. Her final employment was as the manager of Carty’s Trailer Park.
Janis was a lifelong Freewill Baptist. Janis was an excellent seamstress, and made many of her children’s clothes when they were younger, but her true passion was vegetable and flower gardening. She grew many varieties of vegetables and kept a well-stocked pantry of canned goods to feed her family and share with neighbors. Janis will be remembered for her kindness of spirit and for helping others whenever she could. During her final years since 2009, she enjoyed living with her daughter, Mona, and her family, getting to know her grandchildren, and fishing on the Brazos River. However, Janis always missed her home on Caney Ridge, her family and friends, and the mountains of Virginia, and she spoke of them until Alzheimer’s finally took her ability to speak.
Janis’ children were richly blessed by their Mother’s love of God, her devotion to their care, and the examples she set in her work ethic, kindness to others, being a caregiver to her parents, love of learning, and always striving to better herself. She will be deeply missed.
Janis was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Willie Hughes and Bobby Hughes of Coeburn, Virginia; one sister, who died at four years of age, Stella Marie Hughes; and the father of her children, Gary and Mona, Taulbee Carty.
Survivors include one son, Gary E. Carty of Columbia, Tennessee; one daughter, Mona Carty Skinner and husband Ron of Granbury, Texas; two grandchildren, Afton Strain and Geordan Strain of Fort Worth, Texas; One brother, Billy Gene Hughes of Coeburn, Virginia; Two sisters, Nina Hughes of Coeburn, Virginia, and Joyce Coe of Norwalk, Ohio; nieces and nephews.
There will be no funeral service. Burial will take place at Carty Family Cemetery, Caney Ridge, Clintwood, Virginia. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to: Alzheimer’s Research Foundation, 620 Sea Island Road, Suite 288, St. Simons Island, GA 31522 – Charity #CH38127. Website: https://www.alzheimersresearchfoundation.com. Wiley Funeral Home, Granbury, Texas and Mullins Funeral Home, Clintwood, Virginia are in charge of arrangements, which are not known at this time.
