Janice C. Tropp

Janice C. Tropp, 91, of St. Joseph passed away Saturday, June 28, 2025, at Royalton Manor in St. Joseph.

A celebration of life service will be at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, July 3, at Starks & Menchinger Chapel, 2650 Niles Road, St. Joseph, with her grandson, Matthew Yeske officiating. Burial will follow in Hickory Bluff Cemetery in Stevensville. Friends may visit with the family from 12:30-1:30 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Memorial donations in Janice's name may be made to the Humane Society – Southwestern Michigan Yeager Family Pet Shelter. Those wishing to sign Janice's memory book online may do so at www.starks -menchinger.com.

Janice was born May 4, 1934, in St. Joseph to Robert and Alice Knuth. She graduated from Berrien Springs High School, Class of 1952. Janice devoted her time to caring for her home and her family, but for several years, she was employed as a bus driver for both Berrien Springs and Lakeshore Public Schools.

Janice was an excellent cook and baker. She made banana nut bread for Win Schuler's Restaurant and many beautiful wedding cakes. She at one time entered and won the Pillsbury National Bake-off in California and had the opportunity to meet Gov. Ronald Reagan. Janice was a woman of faith and attended Bright Star Tabernacle and The Chapel. In her free time, she enjoyed decorating, tending to her flower gardens, which were her pride and joy, loving on her animals, garage sales and most of all, the time spent with her family and friends.

Janice is survived by her children: John (Linda) Yeske of St. Joseph, Julie (Terry Yirchott) Smith of Benton Harbor, Connie (Doug) Schultz of Frankfort, Ill., Sue (Mike) Owens of Erie, Pa.; grandchildren: Matthew (Kathrine) Yeske, Nathaniel (Nicole) Yeske, Amy (Dan) O'Hearn, Ryan (Mary Apanavicius) Yeske, Brittani (Mike Clements) Evett, Kelly Lamm, Jill Lamm Heather (Kenneth) Klassman, Jason (Amy Neal) Schultz, Cassandra (Davis) Galleon and David Hicks; 15 great-grandchildren; siblings: Dwane (Nancy) Knuth and William "Bill" (Sue) Knuth – both of Berrien Springs, Marjorie (Russ Spoto) Oberlander of San Diego; sister-in-law, Evelyn Knuth of Leesburg, Fla., and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Frank Werdin; her parents and siblings: Dale Knuth, Barbara Totzke, Audrey Brohman, Norma Klemz, Nancy Whetstone and Donna Neeser.