Janice Walsh Stephens

Janice Walsh Stephens was born November 28,1940 in Detroit, Michigan, to Thomas and Dorothy Walsh. She was married to Gerald Stephens and lived in the Sarasota, Florida area for the past 30 years.

Janice was a caregiver at heart and was happiest when taking care of others. She enjoyed sharing her life experiences with young people and having fun, which led her to invite many foreign-exchange students into her life and participate in the Big Brothers/Big Sisters Association of Florida. She volunteered her time at Richmond Heights General Hospital in Ohio, and Hospice in Florida. She also taught religion classes at Saint Paschal Baylon Catholic School in Ohio and Saint Peter and Paul Catholic School in Florida.

Janice was proud to be selected as a J.L. Hudson Company fashionette model and represented Hudson’s Department Store in Seventeen Magazine in February 1958. She attended the University of Detroit, Wayne State University and Macomb Community College. Additional hobbies and interests included cooking, piano, crafts, church choir, tennis and playing games with friends and family.

Most notably, Janice successfully battled breast cancer in the late 1980's. She was a fighter who not only survived, but thrived and lived a full life. Her story reflects the great progress that has been made with breast cancer screening, early detection and treatments.

Survivors include her three children; Christopher (Michelle) Wrobleski, Thomas (Eileen) Wrobleski, and Jane (Grant) Macuba, six grandchildren; Melissa (Joshua) Slepicka, Spencer (Michaela) Wrobleski, Brandon (Krystle) Wrobleski, Connor (Kaylin) Wrobleski, Ashlyn (Stefan Mueller) Wrobleski, Brooke Macuba, nine great grandchildren; Emerson Kate, Sawyer Lee, Madison Kate, Brooklyn Grace, Cole Thomas, Kailey Rose, Avery Jill, Asher James, Aubrey Eileen, and her brother John Walsh. Janice was preceded in death by her husband, parents and sister, Constance Muehleisen.

A private family service will be held at Resurrection Cemetery in Clinton Township, Michigan, where Janice will be laid to rest with her parents.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a memorial donation be made to the American Cancer Society: https://www.cancer.org/donate/memorial-giving.html