Seba Janice Eby

Seba Janice Eby passed into the arms of our lord and savior peacefully, surrounded by family on October 31, 2026 at the age of 98. Janice was born on January 26, 1928, in Johnson, Kansas, the third child of five born to Earl and Ina Carrithers. The family moved to Idaho in April of 1937 to escape the Kansas dust bowl. They settled in Boundary County in District 2 after driving cross-county in a Model T pulling a trailer with a milk cow. When Janice was in 5th grade the family moved to a log cabin near Dawson Lake built by her father which is still standing. Janice and her sisters attended the closest school no matter the weather, a 2-mile walk up the road past the lake. The onset of World War II moved the family to Bremerton, Washington where Earl worked in the shipyard and Janice and her mother, Ina worked in the hospital. After the war, the family returned to Bonners Ferry to farm in Curley Creek. Janice attended Bonners Ferry High School, graduating and marrying Fay Joseph Eby in 1946. Fay was a family friend from the Dawson Lake area and had just returned from serving in the Pacific during World War II.

Janice and Fay began their life together at a Dawson Lake cabin where their first four children were born. Janice worked alongside Fay doing gypo logging until the kids became old enough to help. In the early 50’s they moved to a small farm closer to town staying on Meadow Creek Road, had 3 more children and were self-sufficient loggers, gardeners, and farmers- raising chickens, cattle, and sheep. Of all the animals, Janice loved raising chickens best and enjoyed hearing her hens clucking at her when she gathered eggs.

After Fay’s death in February of 1985 Janice and her son David continued logging the family property and Janice joined the Women in Timber group. She joined the Bonners Ferry American Legion Auxiliary in 1990, the Eight and Forty Club, and worked on many county committees involving zoning, water rights, forestry, and mining practices. She also spent a few years working as an aid at a local church school. Janice was an avid reader, prolific letter writer, and a strong supporter of education. All 7 of her children graduated from Bonners Ferry High School.

She enjoyed many activities including sewing, quilting, growing flowers, gardening, and collecting items, notably snowmen, kerosene lamps, bottles, bee nests, and rocks. She began keeping a journal in 1957 and starting in 1986 she wrote yearly “Dear Grandchildren” stores about her life and history which she shared with all who were interested. Janice won ribbons at the county fair for her craft items and enjoyed watching the 4-H animal shows.

In her later years she enjoyed going to the woods with David to see the changes in the forest landscape and taking drives around the county with Leonard and Edna where she shared her knowledge of the area. As a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt and great-aunt she looked forward to visits from her family. Janice lived on the Meadow Creed Road for 87 of her 98 years and continued to live in the house she and Fay built until her death.

Janice is preceded in death by her husband Fay, parents Earl and Ina Carrithers, brother Frank Carrithers, sisters Ellen Carrithers, Esther Woodward, and Olive Mulvaney, sons Carl Eby and Floyd Eby. She is survived by children Barbara (Howard) Stearns, Linda (Wayne) Young, Leonard (Edna) Eby, Irene Shayen, David Eby. 12 grandkids, numerous great and great-great-grandkids, nieces, and nephews.

A viewing will be held at the Bonners Ferry Funeral Home from 3-5 pm Friday, November 6, 2026 and a Funeral Service to honor Janice’s memory will be held at the United Methodist Church on Saturday, November 7, 2026 at 1:00 pm. In lieu of flowers please consider making a donation to the Boundary County 4-H program.