Birth date: Mar 14, 1954 Death date: Feb 1, 2023
Janine Elizabeth Blythe (née Cleveland) of Columbia, IL passed away February 1, 2023, in Columbia, IL. She was 68 years old; born March 14, 1954, in St. Louis, MO. As per Janine’s thoughtful request to avoid transmission of commun Read Obituary
God bless you all as you mourn this great loss. May God hold you in the palms of his gands until you meet again.
Janine and I were Irish ☘️ twins… only 10 months apart! She had the most generous heart of anyone I’ve ever known. She was stunning, but didn’t know it.
FUN FACTS about Janine…
1. She had a very high IQ. I remember the nuns talking to our mom about how high she scored on their test. They signed her up for the hardest of classes. She took 4 years of Latin and loved it
On her last day of high school, there were countless friends frantically typing papers so she would be able to graduate. She hated typing because to her, it was a waste of time. Janine never ever studied. She read something once and knew it. She was brilliant.
2. Janine served in the Marine Corp at 18 years old. She was stationed in California and traveled overseas as well. My first plane flight was to visit her and drive back home with her. I was 19 and she was 20. We had an absolute blast, but not giving any details here😎. Janine met Stan while in the Marine Corps here in St. Louis. It was love at first site.
3. She loved her family and was fiercely devoted to them. Her family reciprocated that love and devotion during her fight the last 5 years.
Janine was one of the most determined, hard working woman I have ever known. She never gave up her fight til the very end.
4. Janine loved gardening. There is a rock wall that she built in her back yard in Dellwood that took years to construct. It was that same strong willed determination, stubbornness, and love to build and maintain that rock wall. It was a work of art. She loved hummingbirds, sunflowers, and all plants.
She hated squirrels and so do I 😳
5. She loved to travel. She and Stan have been to Hawaii, Alaska, Mexico, and multiple other destinations. They had plans for many more adventures after retirement. It was on one of their trips she realized something wasn’t right and was diagnosed with leukemia.
I love you and will miss you forever sister❤️❤️❤️
My fondest memory of Janine is when I was visiting the family and she was working in her garden and afterwards we brought Ali out on the deck and placed her in her high chair and blew bubbles with her. We both laughed with delight as we watched our granddaughter getting excited trying to catch them and then laughed even more when Ali said bubbles! I will miss her , she was a beautiful and kind person.
Sue Anastasiou
Janine was such a loving person. I remember our first family dinner ... She sat nearby rocking a crying baby and rocked her to sleep. Our first float trip she was so encouraging to those who were less experienced. Always helpful, loving and caring! She is missed. Linda and David Brandstetter
So sorry for your loss.
Janine was a special person, very caring. She always tried to include anyone that wanted to be included. Shortly after meeting Janine she showed up in my office to share her pizza with me.
Janine did a marvelous job with the Stamp Unveilings and Veteran Events.
Again so sorry that Janine had to go through this illness and for your loss.
Annette DeBourge
My most memorable moment knowing Janine goes back to the very first day I met her and Stan. It was Lori's and my official first date, and we all went to a Cardinal game. Janine and Stan were sitting in the seats right behind us, which put them slightly above us. As we enjoyed the beer, Janine enjoyed counting the grey hairs on my head. I was only 25 at the time🤣😂
We will miss her wonderful humor, positive attitude, and lovely smile, but we also know she is in a better place. Good bless her, Stan and the kids.
Lori, Janine’s sister, was my best childhood friend and we grew up in the same apartment complex. Lori was the baby by seven years, so she and I really looked-up to Janine and Sue. Janine was beautiful, funny, smart, and had a good head on her shoulders. I’m certain that having her as a role model affected me as I grew up, and for that I am forever grateful. By chance, I Janine a couple of times at the post office, and she hadn’t changed much! She was still as beautiful and sweet as I remembered. I am so very sorry for her loss, and offer my deepest sympathies and love to the entire family.
I have so many memories of my big sister Janine, just being a big sister throughout our lives. Whether she was guiding, teaching, guarding, or loving ,the treasured memories are held close to my heart. She was always a strong and determined person working to do the right thing.i remember being in the wedding as she married the love of her life I loved watching her become a mother,and then a grandmother, and the pride she had in her family. As with everything in life, this woman fought with beauty and grace these final days. May God now hold her close to his heart, as I have done these many years.
