Janice Kay Vance-King

Janice Kay Vance entered this world on August 9, 1955 in Kenosha, Wisconsin, the only child of Harold and Catherine Vance. Music was an essential part of her life from the very beginning. She learned to play the piano very early with her first lessons coming at the age five. Living on a farm meant lots of animals, including pigs, cats, dogs, and her beloved horses. She was a tomboy that loved to ride, fish, hunt, and show up the neighborhood boys, yet her softer, gentler side was always apparent in her music and her immense capacity to love others. The list of Janice’s academic and musical achievements is very long. She excelled in school in academics, extracurricular, and social activities. She also enjoyed playing sports with basketball being one or her favorites. She loved performing at all the local churches, and there were many times she was selected by other groups because of her excellence in both playing and performing.

For many years Janice served God in a musical capacity at church whether by performing or leading others. You may be surprised that the first job Janice had at a church was as the janitor, along with being the secretary and music director. She proved early on that she was always capable of wearing many hats.

Janice graduated from Evangel College with a Bachelor’s Degree of Music Education K-12. She utilized her degree in her positions at church which included teaching and directing choirs and children’s events.

Janice was working at the South Haven Board of Public Works after graduation when she ran into an old friend, Stan King. Stan used all of his persuasive salesmanship to win her love and affections, and it worked. Janice and Stan got married on her birthday, August 9, 1980. They were lucky to make it on that date as Stan was a little tardy. Ask him why he showed up at the church very late and on a motorcycle. They were joined in becoming a family by Christopher, who was one year old. Stan then joined the army and was stationed at Fort Ritchie, MD with his family. Janice was the Music Director for the Protestant Chapel services there. Their joy increased with the birth of Anthony in 1984. Due to a family illness they returned to Michigan. Upon their return she held a variety of jobs all the while being a devoted mother and wife. In 1988 Stan, Janice and the boys moved to their current home in Holland, MI. She ran an in-home daycare and volunteered at Holland First Assembly of God where in 1993 she became the full-time Music Minister. She thoroughly enjoyed that position until 2000. During her time there, she directed bands, hand bell and vocal choirs, delegated all music within and outside of the church, maintained the equipment, and oversaw the roughly 120 volunteers of that department. In this position, Janice fulfilled what she considered to be her ultimate calling – leading people in worship into the presence of her faithful Savior Jesus Christ. In her spare time when she wasn’t taking care of her boys, she enjoyed softball, traveling, cars, and spending time with family and friends. Many of her favorite memories were centered on her mother’s weekly Saturday visits and the many wonderful family get-togethers she was able to be a part of.

In 2001, she accepted the position of Middle School Music and Math Support at Eagle Crest Charter Academy. She found this job to be very fulfilling and satisfying as well; teaching kids to reach inside themselves to find the music and confidence that she saw in every individual. She always maintained a positive attitude about her work and any challenges that she faced. It was while teaching there that she first learned about her cancer, in the winter of 2003. She battled it diligently, and for a time it appeared as though she had won. Unfortunately, when it returned it came back with a vengeance. This did not cause her to lose any of her focus or determination that she was going to beat it. She went through more struggles in just a few years than most people face in a lifetime. She kept teaching and reaching out to other people and the thing that most people will probably remember her for is her amazing inspirational perseverance. She never gave up, never complained, and always put other people first. She was an amazing servant of her Lord, and she touched many students, fellow teachers, and friends with her constant love for others.

Janice was an exemplary teacher whether it was in the classroom, church or with friends and family. She was constantly interacting positively with others by encouraging words, notes and support. The teacher in her would never ask her students to do something that she herself would not do or try. She truly led by example in all she did and always put others first; their success was a priority for her.

Janice’s battle with cancer finally ended on October 19, 2007. She is no longer bound to a flawed earthly body. Her lungs are now filled with heaven’s perfect air, and we have no doubt that she has joined in heaven’s choir and is ceaselessly singing the praises of her beloved Lord and Savior.

She was preceded in death by her beloved father, Harold Vance of Bangor. Surviving are her husband, Stan King of Holland, two sons, Christopher King of Ionia and Anthony King of Holland, her mother, Catherine Vance of Bangor, her father- and mother-in-law, Havis and Dorothy King of South Haven, two sisters-in-law, Carolyn Barnes and Marilyn McEnaney of South Haven, and many other dear relatives and friends.

Funeral services will be held at 3:00 p.m. Saturday, October 27, at Central Wesleyan Church, 446 W. 40th Street Holland, MI, in the worship center. Visitation will be held from 6-9 p.m. Friday, October 26, and from 2-3 p.m. on Saturday, October 27. Both visitations will also be held in the worship center at Central Wesleyan Church. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to Logan’s Heart Charity, Hospice of Holland, or to the King family to help defray the cost of medical and other expenses incurred.

For all the people that have asked about Janice’s music, there is a CD available for a love gift. Janice was able to record a worship CD just before her passing. She wrote several of the songs on this CD which has already been a blessing to so many If you would like one of these CDs, please write to Stan King at: 868 144th Ave, Holland, MI 49424

Burial will be in Ft. Custer National Cemetery, Battle Creek, MI, on Monday, October 29, at 11:00AM.

Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where you can read Janice’s life story, share a memory, or sign the guestbook. Also, please feel free to visit Janice’s CarePage at www.caringbridge.org/visit/janiceking. Here you can leave notes for the family and share your memories of Janice.