Janice Kay Magnusen Brickey

Janice Kay Magnusen Brickey (aka “Nonnie”) finished her course in this world and passed into eternity Saturday, Nov 5, 2022. Janice was born January 20, 1952 in Gulfport, Mississippi as the fifth of fourteen children of Bill and Clara Magnusen. An adventurous and memorable childhood was filled with many moves with her family including school in Mississippi, Texas, California, Virginia and Iowa. After graduating from high school in Burt, Iowa in 1970, she moved to Hampton, Virginia where she met her life partner and best friend, Reb Brickey. They married in 1971, beginning a life adventure of 51 years. After completing a 7-month honeymoon on Cape Cod compliments of the USAF, they moved to Beaumont, Texas where they attended Bible Training at One Way Inn and then served as missionaries in Belize for a couple of years. After returning in 1976 to the states to establish a home in Tennessee, Janice had a vascular tumor on her spinal cord that eventually left her paralyzed and forced to use a wheelchair. She saw the wheelchair as merely an obstacle to overcome and never a reason to not accomplish anything. Among her accomplishments were getting degrees in Medical Technology and a BS in Microbiology from the University of Tennessee Knoxville. Once her daughters, Sara Ruth and Becca were born, her focus shifted to raising her daughters to the best of her ability and she became a homeschool mom. There was not any part of their lives that she did not touch. She became President of the Roane County Chapter of the Smoky Mountain Home School Association. She taught advanced science and math to her own girls as well as other students. Janice was a coach in Kingston youth soccer and basketball. She then stepped into the role of coaching the Knoxville Ambassadors girls high school basketball team for five years and the team won a National Championship in 2004 as well as other state titles. Janice was also very gifted in singing and music. She loved playing guitar, ukulele and, at one time, played the banjo. She taught many people how to play guitar. She led praise and worship for 30 years of ministry at Brushy Mountain and Morgan County state prisons and was heavily involved with the Roane County Women’s Aglow ministry. Janice loved to travel and visited every state in the union with her family while homeschooling. She also traveled to Thailand, Italy, Mexico, Canada, Alaska and Hawaii. Janice was an accomplished downhill adaptive skier, loved kayaking and rode a hand powered bicycle. She has inspired many people to get involved in the adaptive world, such as the Adaptive Ski Program in Snowshoe, WV and the Diving With Heroes program which was founded by her niece Jill Brickey. Janice’s number one joy in life was her family, especially being Nonnie to her 7 grandchildren. She was constantly teaching them to cook, bake, garden, do crafts while laughing, working and playing with them, all while snatching up as many kisses as possible along the way. She was a remarkable woman who faced every challenge head-on with joy and without complaining. Janice was an inspiration to all who knew her in everything she did. She was a counselor and an encourager, a friend and a leader and most importantly she showed Christ's love to everyone that came across her path. Janice is survived by her husband Reb Brickey; daughter Sara England, grandsons Hayden, James and Thomas Ashcraft; daughter Rebecca Schmidt (Devin), grandsons Emery and Oakley Schmidt, granddaughters Jossie and Darby Schmidt; beloved siblings: Bill (June), Kirk (MaryJo), Pat (Michael), Glenn (Kay), Ruth (Larry), Deborah (Ronnie), Rhoda (Mark), Anna (Mark), Dorcas (Wally), Jon (Laura), Nathan (Mary) and her in-law family including Joseph (Michelle), Mark (Jeannie) and Anita along with a host of 125 Magnusen and Brickey clan nieces and nephews. She will be irreplaceably missed by all her family and friends, but we believe she is free at last, dancing and singing and rejoicing with her family that has gone before. Hers was a life well lived and well loved. In lieu of flowers, donation may be made to Life Choices Medical Center of Harriman, TN in honor of Janice. The family will receive friends from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Friday, November 11, 2022 at Kyker Funeral Home of Kingston. Funeral 10:00 a.m. Saturday, November 12, 2022 at Two Rivers Church of Lenoir City with the burial to follow at 3:30 p.m. in Mattox Cemetery, Sevierville. Kyker Funeral Home of Kingston is serving the Brickey Family.

Janice Kay Magnusen Brickey

January 20, 1952 - November 5, 2022