Janine Elizabeth Blythe's Obituary
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 communicable disease to her surviving family and friends, funeral services will be privately held. Janine will be interred in the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, St. Louis, MO.
Janine was a proud Marine and an enthusiastic United States Postal Service employee. Janine was a strong and passionate employee who implemented many favorable changes at the St. Louis, MO branch of the USPS. Janine was always striving to improve her community with neighborhood watch, volunteering, and community outreach. Janine was a selfless and wonderful person who would give anyone the shirt off her back. Janine’s premature passing is an incomprehensible loss to the community, her family, and friends.
Janine grew up in East Saint Louis, IL, and joined the Marines as a young adult. She met her husband, Stanley Blythe, while serving in the Marines and they were wed June 18, 1977. Janine and Stan had three children and now have six grandchildren. Janine’s grandchildren were the light of her life and kept her going after her devastating Acute Myeloid Leukemia diagnosis in January 2018. Janine was able to obtain a bone marrow transplant due to a generous donation of stem cells from an anonymous German woman in her twenties. Due to this donor who gave of her bone marrow and also stepped up a year later and donated more blood to stabilize Janine, Janine was able to become cancer-free. Janine’s family and friends will be forever grateful to this nameless benevolent angel for giving us more time with Janine. Unfortunately, as with all transplants, there was the risk of rejection, namely Graft Versus Host Disease. Although Janine fought bravely and unrelentingly, GVHD overtook her, destroyed her lungs, and weakened her body. Janine’s family and friends would like to thank Dr. Peter Westervelt, Katy Stewart, Michele Hill, and the whole Bone Marrow Transplant team at Barnes-Jewish Hospital for taking wonderful care of Janine for the last five years. Janine’s family and friends will be forever grateful to you for giving us more time with her.
Janine is survived by her husband, Stanley Blythe, of Columbia, IL, daughters Stephanie (Nick) Anastasiou and Carrie (Jason) Brandstetter, son Shawn Blythe, grandchildren Beau, Mina, Alexandra, Miles, Niko, and Heidi, sisters Sue (Richard) Haas, and Lori (John) Grawitch, brother Jeffrey (Lisa) Cleveland, and many other family members and friends.
Janine was preceded in death by her parents, Eldeon and Marcella Cleveland (née Hutmacher), sister Kathy Cleveland, and brother John Cleveland.
In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions be directed to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (Gateway Chapter, 1972 Innerbelt Business Center Dr. St. Louis, MO 63114-5723), Wounded Warrior Project (230 W. Monroe Street Ste:200 Chicago IL 60606), or the charity of the donor’s choice.
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