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Janice Marie (Knaak) Johnson, age 71, of Mendon, died peacefully on Friday March 11, 2011, surrounded by her family. She was born on May 29, 1939, in Schoolcraft. In her younger years, Jan worked as a dental hygiene assistant and was the assistant supervisor in the accounting department at Alberto Culver in Chicago. In her later years she obtained her real estate license in both Illinois and Michigan.
In 1976, Jan and her husband Bob Johnson, began bible studies in their home which soon led to a growing fellowship and church. Jan and Bob became ordained ministers in 1980. They lived what they preached and shared their home with many less fortunate people; young and old; from all walks of life. Many were led to the Master not only by their teaching, but by their living example. Jan was a great teacher of God’s word and those privileged to know her knew she had a special relationship with her Lord. She wrote many songs inspired by the Holy Spirit about love and overcoming. Today these songs are sung in many fellowships.
Jan retired from real estate in the late 1990’s, but never retired from the ministry. She always had an open door policy and an open ear to a hurting heart. He mission in life was to encourage others and lead them into a true relationship with Christ. She was faithful in this mission and as recently as last summer Jan had daily bible studies with her three great-grandchildren. After the studies, her two great-grandsons came to her and asked her to pray for them to accept the Lord as their Savior. What a great reward for her!
Jan was preceded in death by her husband, Robert E. Johnson; her son, Jerry L. Andres; her parents, Thearon and Norma (Hazell) Knaak, and James Oswalt; and by a brother, Douglas Knaak. She is survived by two daughters, Teresa (Stan) Faughn of Mendon and Bobbie Johnson of White Pigeon; 2 sons, Michael (Pauletta) Johnson of Middlebury, Ind., and Kelly Johnson of Three Rivers; three sisters, Carolyn (Mike) Michael of Mendon; Sandra (Tom) Matthews of Three Rivers, and Debbie (Marvin) Olephant of Schoocraft; two brothers, Bobby (Nancy) Knaak of Kississimmee, Fla., and Gordon Oswalt of Schoolcraft; nine grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. Jan will be a treasured memory to all who knew and loved her. We will miss her dearly!
Memorial services will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday March 20, 2011, at her daughters’ home at 332 Pleasant Street in Mendon. Assistance was provided by the Eickhoff Funeral Home in Mendon. An online register is available at www.eickhofffuneralhome.com.
