Janice Limbaugh

A vibrant, talented, and compassionate woman, Janice Limbaugh was a blessing to everyone she met. She had a great sense of humor and a quick wit that made her so much fun to be around. When it came to others, Janice was truly selfless as everything she did was focused on how she could enrich the lives of those around her in ways both great and small. Faith was a cornerstone in her life, and it was her faith that was the compass she used to direct her steps. Life will never be the same without Janice here, but she leaves behind a priceless collection of memories that her loved ones will forever hold near and dear to their heart.

It seems only fitting that Janice’s journey began during a time that was as colorful as she was. It was the 1950s when James Dean made young girls swoon on the silver screen, Elvis Presley took the music world by storm with his rock ’n roll music, and by the end of the decade Alaska and Hawaii had become our 49th and 50th states. It was also as this time was coming to an end that Nicholas and Dolores (Litosh) Baron were filled with unspeakable joy as they announced the birth of the baby girl they named Janice on January 27, 1959, in Detroit, Michigan. Raised in the family home alongside her older brother, Colin, she tagged around after him until she started school. Janice was raised in Redford, Michigan, and her father worked in sales at Whirlpool while her mother was a homemaker.

In many ways, Janice was a young girl of her generation. She made many friends in the neighborhood including her best friends, Kim and Liz, who were lifelong best friends. Janice also enjoyed visiting her cousins and fishing on Belle Isle with her brother and grandparents, John and Pauline Litosh. Janice loved going on picnics with her family at Kensington Metro Park and swimming at the beach there, and around home she liked playing with dolls, especially Barbie. It was Janice who was always the champion of Easter egg hunts as well. She attended local schools, graduating from Redford Union High School in 1977, and from there she went on to Grand Valley State University. Janice later transferred to Ferris State University, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and journalism in 1981.

With her education behind her, Janice set out on a rewarding career. She spent some time working on a syndicated entertainment show, PM Magazine, for WNEM TV 5 in Saginaw, Michigan. Her work there spanned from the early to mid-eighties, and Janice was one of the few

women videographers in her field. It was while working there that she met the man who would change the course of her life forever. His name was Danny Limbaugh, and he was the producer of the show. They began dating and were later married in Redford in 1987. In 1988, Janice, Danny, and his son, David, moved to Orlando, Florida, where Danny continued work on PM Magazine and Janice worked several different jobs during their time there, including writing, editing, and doing some copyright work.

On October 21, 1989, Janice and Danny welcomed their first child together, a daughter, Hanna Marie. Hanna was born with a heart defect and underwent surgery in December of 1990, just weeks after her first birthday. The surgery was successful, however she passed away due to complications after the surgery was completed. The Limbaugh family moved back to Michigan in 1991, settling in Holland. In 1993, their son, Nicholas, was born. Janice held various jobs until she began working as a copyrighter in the advertising department for Meijer. She spent more than 10 years there and then began working as a citizen journalist coordinator for WKTV in Kentwood. Later in life, Janice was thrilled to become a grandmother when four grandchildren including Aria Gwenevere, Stuart Charles, Layla Alexa, and Delaney Leigh all joined the family. Sadly, it was shortly before Delaney’s birth that Janice’s husband, Danny, passed away in 2009 after two hard-fought battles with cancer.

Although her family was always her primary focus, Janice also enjoyed pursuing her interests. Her friends were of the utmost importance including her friend, Deb Havens, who later became family when she married Danny’s brother, Dave. Janice’s Catholic faith played an important role throughout her entire life, and it was her strong faith that inspired her husband and teenage son, David, to become Catholic as well. As her family and friends can attest, she was a true-blue fan of her favorite hockey team, the Detroit Red Wings. Gifted in many ways, Janice was a talented writer and artist, and she was a music lover whose interests spanned many musical genres. Her favorites were jazz, blues, funk, classical, and new age with some of her favorite artists being Aretha Franklin, Eric Clapton, and Tom Petty. As someone with her own incredible sense of humor, Janice liked TheThree Stooges, Monty Python and The Muppets.

In 2013, Janice met John Gore, and he later became her fiancé. She loved spending time outdoors doing things like camping, hiking, biking, traveling, and especially birdwatching, and these were things that Janice and John enjoyed together. After purchasing a camper, they traveled all over Michigan, enjoying the state's natural beauty along the way. During Janice’s final days, John became her primary and devoted caregiver.

A loving mother and wife first and foremost, Janice Limbaugh was gracious, kindhearted, and deeply devoted to the ones she loved. She was courageous and strong, the sort of person who never gave up on anything until all possibilities were exhausted, and she expected the best form herself in everything she did. Janice had a sparkling personality that made her truly beautiful on the inside and out, and her zest for life was contagious to all who were near. She will never be forgotten.