Paul Lewis Janke

Singer/songwriter and social justice advocate Paul Lewis Janke died on May 9, 2025, in a nursing facility in Ashland, Oregon. A longtime resident of Siskiyou County, California, he was 78 years old. Paul was born in Burbank, California, on January 13, 1947, to Dolores and Eldon Janke. He served in the Marine Corps in Morocco and Viet Nam and attended College of the Siskiyous. He is survived by his wife Jacalyn, sister, Lynn, sons Eric and Jesse, daughter Jada, stepdaughter Jessica, grandchildren Sawyer, June, Anya, Tess, and Bell, and great grandchildren Silas, Remy, and Jazz. In high school, Paul got his first guitar and discovered a talent for music and performance. A charismatic entertainer, he played in the popular Siskiyou band, Kidder Creek. His ease on stage led to acting in community theater and his sense of humor found a home in stand-up and sketch comedy with Siskiyou Performing Art Center's "Wild" variety shows. From quiet coffeehouse gigs to busking the streets in Ireland, Paul lived a life in music. He leaves his CD "Nothing Left but Love" as his legacy. Paul's vocation for social justice began while working at juvenile facilities and observing the injustices minors faced in the court system. With a friend, he researched and organized CASA, Court Appointed Special Advocates, and served as its executive director in Siskiyou County, appearing in court and fighting for the special needs of every minor in their charge. As a Certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor, he spent some of his happiest years working in the Boy's House at the Lithia Program in Ashland. As a CDAC IV, he also served the Karuk Tribe. Whether desgning and building recumbent bicycles in the garage, kayaking Lake Siskiyou, cooking up Mulligatawny soup for his food cart Fandango, or singing and playing on the back porch, Paul lived with joy and passion. His music, laughter, and good advice will be sorely missed by his family, friends, and the community who loved him. A Celebration of Life for Paul Lewis Janke will be held in the autumn at Greenhorn Park. The family requests that any donations be made in his name to CASA, Yreka, California.

Paul Lewis Janke

January 13, 1947 - May 9, 2025