Janice went to greet the Lord in the early morning hours of February 11 ^th after living with heart failure for several years. She was blessed to pass peacefully at home, surrounded by friends and family. Janice was born in Kansas City, Missouri to Winfred and Edith Penrose, sandwiched neatly between three brothers.

After growing up with a principal and educator father, Janice was adamantly against pursuing any form of educational career. She graduated from Nebraska University with a degree in Medieval History and, after a few years in traditional office work, promptly went into substitute teaching for the next thirty years, specializing in special education.

She met and married her husband, Michael Hemphill, at Northgate Baptist Church in Kansas City, a church that her family were proudly charter members of. Mike and Janice had two daughters, Rachel, and Anna, and made their home in Kansas City surrounded by friends and family.

In 2005 they made the difficult decision to relocate to Texas to maintain Mike's job with American Airlines. They settled in Denton, finding a new home with wonderful new friends and church family. Janice continued to be a substitute teacher until she was offered a full-time job at Billy Ryan High School in their special needs department- work that she adored.

Janice retired abruptly after her first heart surgery, but remained as active as possible within her church until her health would no longer allow. She was blessed with friends who kept her life full and family who surrounded her. She leaves behind a legacy of life-long service in church, active in child and youth activities for decades, physically and financially supported numerous ministries and outreach programs, and delighted in supporting missionaries across the globe.

Janice goes to meet her youngest daughter, Anna, who they lost unexpectedly almost eleven years ago. She leaves behind her husband of almost 40 years, Mike; oldest daughter Rachel, her husband Richard, and their son Nate; three brothers, Wes, John, and Mark, and their wives; nephews, nieces, and numerous extended relations whom she loved dearly.