Janice "Suzie" Jankowski

Janice Susan Jankowski passed on March 12, 2021, peacefully from our loving arms into the arms of our Lord and Savior.

Although our hearts are broken, we know she is in heaven looking down on us with love and all the fond memories of laughter and happier times.

Janice was born on Dec. 25, 1951, the oldest daughter of the late Florence (Dziduch) and Edwin Szopinski.

Janice was known to many by her middle name Susie and affectionately called “Toots” by those who loved her.She married the love of her life, James Jankowski on October 3, 1975. Together, they raised four children.

Janice was actively involved in the lives on her children, spending many years as the team mom at baseball and softball games, teaching religious education at Our Lady of Mt Carmel (Silver Creek) and attending the various sports, dance and social activities for her children.She was on the Silver Creek Parent’s Group and was instrumental in building the Creative Playground at Silver Creek Elementary in 1987. She continued that special relationship with her grandchildren and could often be found cheering them on from the sidelines, playing board games with them and having lots of fun and laughter with them.Jim and Janice had the type of marriage fairytales are made of. They genuinely enjoyed each other’s companionship and their love was clear to all those in their company. They loved to take the family camping, first starting with a tent and then moving to a pop up, pull behind trailer and then a 5th wheel.

Janice was always up for adventure and their travels always brought back stories of love and laughter. She loved to go on family vacations and would always wake the kids up early to start on her agenda of sights to see. Some of her adventures took her to San Diego, Las Vegas, The Grand Canyon, New Orleans, Disney World, Washington DC, Myrtle Beach, Watkins Glen, The Thousand Islands and Cleveland. Janice also enjoyed cruising the Caribbean with her husband and friends. In 1995, she organized a bus trip to Toronto to see The Phantom of the Opera through the Moose Club.

Always up for adventure, she and her husband bought a motorcycle in 2004. They spent many weekends on bike rides with their friends and enjoyed multiday trips around the beautiful state of New York. When she retired, she and her husband took their camper on the road and spent 3 months exploring different cities in Florida before settling in Lakeland, Florida where they spent the winters as “snowbirds”. While in Florida, she continued to teach line dancing, organizing game nights and viewing parties of her favorite TV shows.

Janice was well known in the community for her line dancing and taught line dancing at the Fredonia Legion for several years. She and her husband were often seen on the dance floor together for couples dances. They also won several local dance contests at these events.

Janice attended Dunkirk High School and took classes at BOCES for cosmetology. She graduated high school in 1969. She went to work out of high school as a beautician initially before finding her calling working with special needs children. She was employed by E2CC BOCES LoGuidice Center until her retirement in 2008. While working at BOCES, she went back to school at night at Erie Community College. She became a certified tax preparer and worked with Don Therring for many years.

She had a beautiful smile and loved spending time with friends and family. She always found the positive in situations and enjoyed life to the fullest. Janice’s love and spirit will be held close to the hearts of all those who loved her and her memory will live on in the many lives she touched.We will carry her in our hearts forever.

She is survived by her husband Jim, her siblings, Kathy Szopinski and William “Billy Szopinski, her children, James (Teri) Jankowski Jr., Jodi (Regis)Marrale and Amanda (Scott) Skibniewski, her grandchildren – Jared George, Kristine George, Zachary Jankowski, Emily Jankowski, Riley Marrale,Aubrey Skibniewski and Cadence Skibniewski, her great grandchild, Gage Jankowski and several nieces and nephews.Along with her parents, she was preceded in death by her sister, Sherry and daughter, Janet Jankowski.

A private funeral mass was held at the convenience of the family. To reflect on the amazing life she led, a Celebration of Life will be held at a later date for all of her friends and family.

We ask that anyone wishing to honor her memory, should make a donation to Chautauqua County Palliative Care andHospice who has been a great support for her family and loved ones. 20 W Fairmont Ave, Jamestown, NY.

Janice Susan Jankowski passed on March 12, 2021, peacefully from our loving arms into the arms of our Lord and Savior.  Although our hearts are broken, we know she is in heaven looking down on us with love and all the fond memories of laughter and happier times.

To reflect on the amazing life she led, a celebration of life will be held Saturday, July 10, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Kosciuszko Club, 252 Nevins St, Dunkirk for all of her friends and family.We ask that anyone wishing to honor her memory, should make a donation to Chautauqua County Palliative Care and Hospice who has been a great support for her family and loved ones. 20 W. Fairmont Ave, Jamestown, NY.