Janou Scherb, 79, passed away peacefully in her home on Feb. 23, 2026. We are heartbroken to lose her so suddenly.
Janou was born on Dec. 23, 1946, in the south of France to Thérèse and Pierre Lagé. Janou was born following her father’s return from a German prisoner of war camp.
The post-war French economy made it difficult to run the family business and, after much hesitation, they decided to move to the United States when Janou was 6 years old. The family settled in Southern California, where a relative had recently moved, seeking the promise of better opportunities.
Janou graduated from college in Los Angeles. She spent more than 35 years as a primary school educator guiding and positively impacting the lives of countless students, many of whom still live in the Sandpoint area and remember her well.
During Janou’s youth, she spent a portion of each summer visiting her sister Elisabeth O’Meara in Sandpoint. She fell in love with the area and made her husband promise to move there before agreeing to marry him.
She married David Albert Scherb in 1969 and lived in Pasadena, Calif., where they had two children, Tyson and Elisa. In 1980, they relocated to Hope, Idaho to raise their family.
Janou’s loving warmth, strong hugs and easy smile were infectious. She was a tenacious, steady and loving friend, mother and grandmother. Janou cherished her friendships by developing them at each stage of her life. She also cared genuinely for her community. This was obvious in the respectful and conscientious way she interacted with people.
Janou lived a vibrant and full life. She was often traveling, spending time with her grandchildren, dear friends and family. She enjoyed flower gardening, cooking and playing a competitive game of cards. She had a fascination with words and an appreciation for nuance.
Janou was strong, hardworking and a doer of many things. She was artistic, a lover of nature and the outdoors. She always looked forward to the first signs of spring, especially seeing the snowdrops in bloom.
Janou would welcome you into her home with ease, often hosting parties, game nights and dinners. She was the ultimate hostess and will always be remembered for having fresh flowers on the counter and something delicious cooking on the stove. Her home was an expression of her character: warm and inviting. It was a place where people could relax and feel free to be themselves. She delighted in shared celebration and the gathering of friends and family.
She was preceded in death by her mother, Thérèse; father, Pierre; and her husband David. Janou endured life’s challenges with strength, tenderness and fortitude. She moved through life with a joie de vivre like no other.
Janou is survived by her loving children Tyson and Elisa, her son-in-law Mitch, her two grandchildren Griffin and Reid, her partner Tom Zacche and her sweet dog Bisou. She will be deeply missed by her two grandchildren who affectionately called her “Mémère.” Janou is also survived by sisters Elisabeth O’Meara and Anne Finer and brother Phillip Lagé.
Janou touched the lives of so many and will be remembered for her kindness, warmth and joyful presence.
We would love those who knew her to remember her life with us and to carry forward the lessons she lived by. A community gathering will be held at B’s Beacon in Hope, Idaho in May. This will be a time to remember Janou and share in her loving memory.
Lakeview Funeral Home in Sandpoint is handling the arrangements. Please visit Janou’s online memorial at lakeviewfuneral.com and sign her guest book.
Submitted by the family of Janou Scherb.
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