Janice Hope Brown, 72, passed away shortly after midnight on Saturday, July 5, 2025, after a long battle with cancer.
She was the loving wife to Louis “Lou” Brown, a wonderful mother to her son David Brown (Janessa) and daughter Diana Brown (Eli Banks), and an adoring grand mommy to her two granddaughters Emily and Isabelle.
Janice was born in Murray, Kentucky on June 10, 1953 to Howard and June (Copeland) Powell. She arrived 10 minutes earlier than her identical twin sister Judy, with whom she (proudly) managed to trick multiple elementary and middle-school teachers by swapping places in class until they got wise and learned to tell them apart.
Janice earned her Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of Louisville and spent several years working in hospitals caring and advocating for some of the most vulnerable patients, including those patients with AIDS, in a time when many of her co-workers refused to even go to the hospital floor.
Her great love story began in 1980 when she was assistant managing a retail store and a traveling salesman stopped by to sell sewing supplies. That traveling salesman was Lou. They married on May 22, 1981 and became as tight-knit as a couple can be, starting and running businesses together as well as a family. After a stint in retail, they began a lifelong career in real estate, leading to the formation of Certified Affordable Housing Provider and the Path to Home Ownership. Her and Lou's shared goal of helping more people access the American dream of home ownership and build generational wealth has been transformative for hundreds, if not thousands, of families over the years.
Janice loved to travel, starting her marriage with a trip through Switzerland and planning adventures for her family, friends, and colleagues to China, Greece, Israel, Istanbul, Australia, New Zealand, Peru, Galapagos Islands, Europe, Costa Rica, Mexico, Nigeria, Egypt, Alaska and Hawaii. She talked about visiting India and Antarctica, too - the more exotic the locale, the better. She liked testing her limits, even going skydiving with her son. And she could be wonderfully spontaneous, like when she surprised her daughter & son-in-law with a weekend at Universal Orlando, where she, still young-at-heart at 65, rode all the roller coasters.
Her family, immediate and extended, was Janice's greatest priority and joy. She loved spending time, swapping stories and jokes, cuddling babies, sharing recipes, and giving of herself whenever it was needed. She took care of so many family members during the hardest times of their lives, dropping everything to ease their burdens or make their final days more comfortable. She had an endless capacity for love and care, and an unmatched generosity of spirit. She never withheld support or affection nor lost a chance to tell someone she loved how special they were to her.
She loved her garden and innumerable potted plants and flowers and was always happiest with a book in her hand: history, sci-fi, fantasy, and especially romances. Janice was funny, smart, just a tad devious, and got a huge kick out of a harmless prank and a good groan-worthy pun. She was tough as nails and handled every hit life sent her way with grace and courage (and just enough complaining to be relatable). She was happy to be alive, grateful for God’s gifts, and her joy in the world and all it has to offer was infectious. The impact she had on her family and community was so powerful, and her spirit, strength, humor, and boundless heart will be so deeply missed by everyone who was lucky enough to know her.
In addition to her husband, children, and grandchildren, Janice is survived by her brother Glenn Powell (Michelle) and numerous nieces and nephews and their children, all of whom she adored.
She is preceded in death by her parents, sister, and her grandson Isaac David.
A small graveside service will be held at 10:00 AM on Saturday, July 19, 2025, at Hillcrest Cemetery.
To share a memory or leave a message for the family, please visit Janice’s Tribute Wall at www.filbeckandcann.com