MISHAWAKA - Dr. Janice Marie Smith,
64 years old, passed away peacefully at 7:20 a.m. on Saturday, March 19, 2016,
at her home surrounded by her loving family. Janice was born on May 4, 1951, in
South Bend, to the late Dr. Lee R. Smith Jr. and Florence Glea (Rupel) Smith.
Janice is survived by her son, Elijah Smith of Mishawaka; two sisters, Carol
Smith of South Bend and Amy (James P.) Brumbaugh-Smith of North Manchester; and
one brother, Byron Lee (Eloise) Smith of Bourbon. Her parents and one brother,
David Smith, preceded her in death.
Janice spent her childhood between Lakeville, Indiana, and Castañer, Puerto Rico, where her father served in the Church of the Brethren hospital. She there learned the rudiments of the Spanish language while attending school in Spanish. She returned stateside for her last two years of high school, living with her aunts, Annabel and Esther Rupel, and grandmother, Edith Rupel, in West Lafayette. She graduated from West Lafayette High School in 1969 and from Manchester College in 1972. She earned her medical degree at Wayne State University in Detroit in 1976. She settled in South Bend where she began general practice. She later sought a residency in emergency medicine in Peoria, then moved to Oak Brook and later Bolingbrook, all in Illinois, and worked in various hospitals in the Chicago area.
In December of 1998 Janice fulfilled a dream, traveling joyfully to Vietnam with her mother to adopt her son Elijah. When Elijah was three years old they moved to Mishawaka where Janice founded the Alternatives Medical Center.
In addition to being a beloved doctor and generous friend to many patients, Janice had numerous other skills. She trained in cake decoration with Wilton and decorated cakes for both of her sisters' weddings and for her parents' wedding anniversary party. Working with various textiles she knitted sweaters, created evening gowns and other clothing construction and home furnishings projects. Her artistic sense also found expression in interior decoration. In the area of home DIY she completed plumbing, soldering, and other construction projects, including putting together a Heath Kit Stereo System, building a water bed frame, installing an on-demand hot water heater, installing a hot tub in her back yard and building a surrounding deck. She enjoyed flying lessons during her time in Illinois, snow skiing in Colorado, and scuba diving in Bonaire.
A celebration of Janice's life will be held on Saturday, March 26, 2016, at the Crest Manor Church of the Brethren, 1342 Berkshire Drive, South Bend, IN 46614. Pastor Bradley Bohrer will officiate. Friends may visit with the family from 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm, with the memorial service at 3:00 pm. Palmer Funeral Home-Guisinger Chapel, South Bend, is assisting with funeral arrangements.
Contributions in memory of Dr. Janice M. Smith may be donated to “Church of the Brethren” with “Vietnam Eye Fund” in the Memo line, and mailed to Church of the Brethren, c/o Global Mission and Service, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120
Janice spent her childhood between Lakeville, Indiana, and Castañer, Puerto Rico, where her father served in the Church of the Brethren hospital. She there learned the rudiments of the Spanish language while attending school in Spanish. She returned stateside for her last two years of high school, living with her aunts, Annabel and Esther Rupel, and grandmother, Edith Rupel, in West Lafayette. She graduated from West Lafayette High School in 1969 and from Manchester College in 1972. She earned her medical degree at Wayne State University in Detroit in 1976. She settled in South Bend where she began general practice. She later sought a residency in emergency medicine in Peoria, then moved to Oak Brook and later Bolingbrook, all in Illinois, and worked in various hospitals in the Chicago area.
In December of 1998 Janice fulfilled a dream, traveling joyfully to Vietnam with her mother to adopt her son Elijah. When Elijah was three years old they moved to Mishawaka where Janice founded the Alternatives Medical Center.
In addition to being a beloved doctor and generous friend to many patients, Janice had numerous other skills. She trained in cake decoration with Wilton and decorated cakes for both of her sisters' weddings and for her parents' wedding anniversary party. Working with various textiles she knitted sweaters, created evening gowns and other clothing construction and home furnishings projects. Her artistic sense also found expression in interior decoration. In the area of home DIY she completed plumbing, soldering, and other construction projects, including putting together a Heath Kit Stereo System, building a water bed frame, installing an on-demand hot water heater, installing a hot tub in her back yard and building a surrounding deck. She enjoyed flying lessons during her time in Illinois, snow skiing in Colorado, and scuba diving in Bonaire.
A celebration of Janice's life will be held on Saturday, March 26, 2016, at the Crest Manor Church of the Brethren, 1342 Berkshire Drive, South Bend, IN 46614. Pastor Bradley Bohrer will officiate. Friends may visit with the family from 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm, with the memorial service at 3:00 pm. Palmer Funeral Home-Guisinger Chapel, South Bend, is assisting with funeral arrangements.
Contributions in memory of Dr. Janice M. Smith may be donated to “Church of the Brethren” with “Vietnam Eye Fund” in the Memo line, and mailed to Church of the Brethren, c/o Global Mission and Service, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120
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