Janis Rae Camerlinck

Born in Kansas City, Kansas on January 25, 1952, Janis was the second of five daughters of Lowell and Anna Lu (Hollander) Brune. She enjoyed a joyful childhood in the 1950s and ’60s, filled with music, band, softball, bowling, reading, swimming, and Girl Scouts. A 1970 graduate of Washington High School, she went on to attend Kansas State University, where she proudly marched in the KSU Marching Band. She later earned a Bachelor of Science in Human Resources from Ottawa University.

On September 11, 1976, Janis married the love of her life, John Camerlinck. Together they raised two children, Joseph and Jill. A dedicated worker from a young age, Janis began her first job at 15 at the Wyandotte Swim Club. She went on to spend 27 years at Deluxe Check Printers before retiring in 2017.

Janis cherished every moment with her children—attending ballgames, volunteering with the PTA, participating in Scouting, and swimming. Her love of photography preserved decades of family memories and church history. That passion led to the creation of a historical book for Welborn Community Church, which she co-authored with Jean Hodges and Patti Tucker. The book, published in 2018, was gifted to church members as a tribute to the community she loved.

Janis had a deep love of music in all forms—classical, rock, marching band, and sacred. She was a devoted choir member at church and sang for over 20 years with the Kansas City Kansas Community College Community Chorus. Service and community were central to Janis’s life. She volunteered with the KCK Women’s Chamber, Leavenworth Road Association, Dewey Lakes Homes Association, March of Dimes Walk America, Welborn Community Church, and Bonner Springs United Methodist Church. For the past decade, she was an active and passionate volunteer at the National Agricultural Hall of Fame in Bonner Springs.

Janis is survived by her husband, John; son Joseph (Rachel); daughter Jill (Sam) Camerlinck; her beloved grandsons Aidan and Lucas Camerlinck; her mother, Anna Lu Brune; sister, Melissa Bynum; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her father, Lowell Brune, and her sisters, Laura Beth Steele, Marsha Generaux, and Patricia Brune.

Janis's family is deeply grateful to Dr. Benjamin Powers and the entire KU Cancer Center team for their compassionate care.

Janis will be remembered for her strength, generosity, and unwavering love for her family, church, and community.

A visitation will be held at Bonner Springs United Methodist Church on Saturday, June 7th, at 10:00 AM, followed by a memorial service at 11:00 AM. A graveside burial will take place at Chapel Hill Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens on Monday, June 9th, at 10:00 AM.