Pamela Kay Janczyk

Pam Janczyk was a fun-loving, hardworking woman, a woman who faced many challenges in her life, yet also many triumphs. She was a beloved daughter, sister, wife, mother, and grandmother, and a friend to so many of us. While she was taken from us too soon, her life, and her love, lives on in the many people she touched along the way. Pam's story began on a cool fall day in 1954, in the shoreline city of Muskegon, Michigan. Those were turbulent times in this country, as the Korean War had just ended, yet the Cold War was heating up between our country and the Soviet Union, and racial tension mounted here at home, as well. Yet on September 25, 1954, Norman and Dorothy (Randall) Hile found reason for hope, with the birth of a beautiful baby girl, a daughter they named Pamela Kay. Pam was the baby of the large blended family, complete with four older brothers and four older sisters, all very close in age. They lived in a house on Sheffield in what is now Roosevelt Park, and the kids got along famously, with her sisters often babysitting little Pam. When she was five or six years old, though, her parents divorced, and Pam and her mother went to live in East Muskegon. She spent plenty of time with her siblings and her dad, too, and being the baby of the family, she was a little spoiled, with cute dimples and a twinkle in her eye. As her sisters said, Pam was a "little stinker," as a child. Pam attended Orchard View Schools, where she was a good student, excelling in art and she loved to draw. She was also very popular in school, too, and always made friends easily. After she graduated from high school, Pam became pregnant, which changed her life in so many ways. Pam's daughter Stacia was born on January 24, 1973, but little Stacia had arrived 3 months early, and it was a difficult and life-threatening childbirth. Pam and Stacia both nearly died, and Stacia spent the first six months of her life in the hospital. Pam became a single mom, and worked very, very hard to provide for her little girl. Early on, she worked three jobs; cleaning houses, bartending, and working at the Muskegon Chronicle, too. Pam relied on the support of her mom and sisters to care for Stacia while she worked. Pam and her baby girl lived in various apartments in Muskegon, before settling in a house on Fifth Street in Muskegon Heights, when Stacia started elementary school. During this time Pam made many very close friends, who like all of Pam's friends, became loyal, lifelong companions. Pam also worked at the Innis Inn bar, where she met a brash man named Dave Janczyk, who would roll in there with his friends from the West Michigan Mud Runners (4x4) Club. Dave and his friends loved to tease Pam and give her a hard time, so she didn't like him at first. But eventually, she warmed up to him, and they started dating. They were very serious about each other right from the start, and it wasn't long before Dave moved in with Pam and Stacia. The two were married on March 16, 1985, and the new family moved to Laketon Township on Logan Street. She and Dave shared a special marriage, and did so much together, going on Sunday drives out in the country, or to the many vineyards in Traverse City, or just down to Grand Haven for some Pronto Pups. She also attended his Mud Runner meetings, too. Dave loved to spoil her in return, and often bought her jewelry and rings. Pam, Dave and Stacia did much as a family, as well, and took vacations to places like Chicago, Sea World, and the Wisconsin Dells. Eventually Pam became manager of the Copper Kettle and Canary Inn, and later worked as manager of Tony's Restaurant. She missed having direct contact with people, though, so after 10 years there she decided to get her Real Estate license. She started her career as a Realtor with Greenridge Realty, a job she was so well suited for, and proved to be her calling. Pam always loved people, and would go the extra mile for them. Pam was far from all work and no play, however. She also loved to play pool, and played in many different leagues over the years, including as a longtime member of the Greater Muskegon Women's Billiards League. She was an excellent shot, too, and played right up to the end. She also loved arts and crafts, as well as ceramics. She created beautiful wall hangings and baskets, which she gave to her many friends. Most important to her, of course, was her beloved family, including her brothers and sisters, and especially her grandkids. She was a wonderful grandma, and loved to do special "Grandma things," with them. Sadly, Pam was diagnosed with lung cancer in December of 2005, and underwent a valiant battle and chemotherapy. She never gave up trying, buoyed by the huge support of her family and friends. In the summer of 2006, her family threw her a Celebration Party at Twin Lake, and a crowd of 160 people attended in an outpouring of love for Pam. She also made a special trip to Florida with Stacia and granddaughter Alyssa, which meant so much to her. Pam also worked as long as she could, and didn't want to give up, but the cancer began spreading, and she sadly died Wednesday, January 24, 2007. Pam was a wonderful woman, such a fun-loving, hardworking and caring lady. She faced many challenges in her life, yet she enjoyed so many blessings, as well. We were so blessed to have known her. She will be greatly missed. Surviving are her husband, David Janczyk; 1 daughter, Stacia (Darrell) Ripley of Twin Lake; 2 grandchildren, Alyssa Hile & Courtney Ripley; 4 sisters, Shirley Onstott of Muskegon, Barbara Moss of TN, Darlene Kulcsar of SC & Ruby (Richard) Launer of FL; 3 brothers, Lyle (Wanda) Hile of TN, Donny Ellsworth of Gladwin, MI & Randy Ellsworth of TN. She was preceded in death by a brother, Merl in 1975. Services are Monday, January 29, 2007, 1:00 PM at Clock Life Story Funeral Home with Pastor Phil Capillari officiating. Visitation is scheduled for Sunday, 2-4 & 6-8 PM at Clock Life Story Funeral Home. Memorial donations may be made to Heartland Hospice. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com to share a memory or photo of Pam, or to sign the online guest book.