Janice Elaine Smith was born May 19, 1935, first child of Bernhard and Marvel (Gunderson) Teigland, near Bricelyn, Minnesota. She has one brother, John. She was baptized at Bricelyn Lutheran Church. When Janice was four years old, the family moved to a farm one mile north of Rake, Iowa - the farm was on the state line, half in Iowa and half in Minnesota.