Born in Germany a few minutes before her twin sister on September 13, 1965, to John and Patricia Kraus, Janice was raised with a strong faith which moved with her throughout her life. As an Army brat, Janice lived in place after place with her seven siblings, her favorite home being Alaska where she loved to ski.
Janice attended medical school at the UT Health Science Center in Houston, where she met the love of her life, Michael Troy. The two married on June 23, 1990, and together they built a life centered on family, love, and faith. Janice dedicated her life to raising their four children—Michael Troy, Jr. (Laura), Megan Simmons (Will), Briana Troy, and Christina Troy—with unwavering devotion, supporting each of them in their various passions with countless drives and emotional encouragement. She especially nurtured and advocated for her daughter with special needs.
One for adventure, Janice took shifts with Mike driving their trailer across the country during summer vacations, her family in tow. Her favorite trip was to Arches National Park. She captured many of these trips through her camera lens and crafted beautiful scrapbooks of her photos to keep and share these memories. Her love of the outdoors extended to her home; she cared for her plumerias and the many other plants in her garden, and she kept the hummingbirds and cardinals in her backyard fed.
Janice lived her life in servitude of others. She regularly volunteered with the Down Syndrome Association of South Texas, and she worked for a time as the volunteer coordinator of the National Down Syndrome Convention. She never took a dime for any project she did to help a friend, whether it was building a website or taking photos. In her parents’ later years, Janice drove them to their many doctors’ appointments, using that quality time to ask them questions about their lives, which she compiled as a book for their family to enjoy for generations.
Janice took great joy in being called “Nana,” the title affectionately given to her by her grandchildren: Connor, Oliver, Andrew, Joanna, Myla, and Ava. Her love extended deeply to her family, including to her surviving siblings: Karen Stockstill (Rick), Kathy Lynch-Teofilak, Lynne Kraus (Bob Mutz), Doug Kraus (Sherri), Joyce Taylor (Ed), and Angie Rayburg (Johnny), and her sister-in-law Rebecca Kraus.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Johnny Kraus, and her brother-in-law Ted Teofilak.
The family will receive friends for a visitation of Janice’s family from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, June 04, 2025, at Porter Loring Mortuary, with a rosary to follow at 7:00 p.m.
A Funeral Mass will take place on Thursday, June 05, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 20523 Huebner Rd., San Antonio, Texas 78258, with a reception to follow.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made in Janice’s memory to the Down Syndrome Association of South Texas, a cause close to her heart.
