Jana Turner Stockton

Jana Turner Stockton passed away peacefully at home the morning of Sept. 12, 2018, after a two-and-a-half year battle with cancer.

Jana was born July 17, 1942, in Chicago, Illinois, to John and Vivian Turner. The oldest of eight children, she graduated from Billings Senior High School in 1960, where she loved being a majorette.

Dance was a very important part of Jana's life. In 1970, she co-founded The School of Classical Ballet along with her longtime business partner Betty Loos. She introduced thousands of 5-year-old girls to arabesques, pliés and their "five positions" for over 40 years of her life. Jana loved her students and received great joy in teaching them the art of traditional ballet.

Some of Jana's favorite pastimes were walking on the beach in Maui with her husband Dan, looking out at the beauty of Flathead Lake from their family's summer condo and spending long, fun-filled days at Disneyland (which, coincidentally, had its grand opening on Jana's 13th birthday in 1955). She loved spending cherished time with her many close friends, shopping and "going to lunch with the girls." Jana also enjoyed traveling and always said that once she got home and did a load of laundry she was ready to go on her next adventure.

Jana was loved and will be greatly missed by her family, which includes her husband of 24 years, Daniel E. Stockton; her daughter, Kelly Wade; her late son, Jeff Neal; her son, Cory Neal and his wife Annie; her stepson, Mykel Stockton and his wife Michelle; her stepdaughter Kelly Sharp and her husband Troy Sharp; her five grandsons, Tyson Neal, Colton Wade, Joe Stockton, Christopher Stockton and Zachary Sharp; her newborn granddaughter Isla Neal; and her three great-grandchildren. Jana will also be missed by her seven brothers and sisters, Jim Turner, Valerie Turner Frazier, Greg Turner, Stephanie Turner Reeverts, Jeff Turner, John Turner and Alison Turner Michelotti, along with their families.

Jana was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, teacher and friend. She will be deeply missed.

A heartfelt thank you to those who helped care for and showed so much love to Jana while she fought her illness.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to The School of Classical Ballet's Jana Turner Stockton Honorary Scholarship via Yellowstone Bank.

A Celebration of Jana's Life will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 19, at Faith Chapel, 517 Shiloh Road, followed by a reception at Hilands Club, 714 Poly Drive. Those whose lives she touched are welcome and encouraged to join the celebration.