Janice C. Petroski

Janice “Auntie Jannie” Catherine Petroski, 87, of Iron River, Michigan died unexpectedly Sunday April 12, 2015 at Columbia Saint Maryʼs Hospital, Milwaukee, WI, due to complications resulting from injuries sustained two days previously. Janice was born June 14, 1927, to the late Chester and Anna (Wercinski) Petroski (later Byczek) at the family homestead on Byczek Road in Stambaugh Township. She resided there until 19 years ago when she retired from farm life, moving to senior housing on Dobson Drive in Iron River. She attended Stambaugh schools until World War II broke out and her brothers were drafted. Janice remained at home, where she and her mother continued to run the family farm. Janice was a devout Catholic, baptized and confirmed in the former Assumption Church of Iron River. She was a practicing member of Saint Agnes Catholic Church of Iron River until her death. She devoted her life to her faith and her closely knit, large and extended family. Janice was a warm and loving person who loved to hug everyone. Janice embraced her Polish heritage and looked forward to every family gathering and reunion. She had a long and astute memory for family trivia and relished her role as a family elder. She enjoyed stitch work, reading, and word puzzles. Highlights in her life included traveling, visiting other family members and her first airplane ride in honor of her 80th birthday. She was preceded in death by her parents and step-father Valenty Byczek; brothers and sisters and their spouses: Chester (Vivian), Felix (Margie), Leo (Lottie), Edward Petroski, Lorraine (Edwin) Andre, and half-brother, Robert Byczek Sr. Also preceding her in death were her step-brothers: Edward, Frank, Chester, Stanley, Walter, John and Valenty “Billy” Byczek; and step-sisters and their spouses: Stacia (Chester) Rae, Frances (Howard) Segebarth, Marian (John) Donovan, and Eleanor (Jim) Sherlock. Janice is survived by her sister Dolores and brother-in-law Robert Smith of Roseburg, OR; sister, Betty Jean Johnson of Iron River, MI; and sisters-in-law, Dolly (Saxon) Byczek and Betty (Kangas) Petroski, both of Iron River; as well as a constellation of devoted nieces, nephews, grand and great-grand nieces and nephews, extended family members, and friends—especially Bonnie and Tim Peruzzi. Visitation will be held on Friday, May 15, 2015 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. at Jacobs Funeral Home.  Funeral services will follow at 1 p.m. at Saint Agnes Catholic Church with Rev. Gregory Veneklase to offer the Mass of Christian Burial.  Interment will be in Resthaven Cemetery. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Janice C. Petroski, please visit our flower store.