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Janice Berberick Obituary
Janice M. "Jan" Berberick, 70, of Niles passed away on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, at Memorial Hospital in South Bend, Ind.
A celebration of life memorial service will be at 2 p.m. on Friday, April 19, at Swem Chapel, 301 W. Front St., Buchanan, with Pastor Matthew Hickok officiating. Friends may visit with the family from noon until the time of the service at the funeral home. A private burial will be held at a later date at Hickory Bluff Cemetery in Stevensville. Memorial contributions may be made to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).
Those wishing to leave an online condolence may do so at www.swemchapel.com.
Janice was born on Aug. 27, 1953, in St. Joseph to John and Margaret (Granke) Krieger.
She graduated from Lakeshore High School in 1971. Her family had a band, The Krieger Family Polka Band, in which she played the saxophone and sang.
On March 10, 1972, Janice married the love of her life, Howard Berberick, at St. Joseph Catholic Church.
Janice had a variety of jobs while working at the South Bend Post Office, which began in 1985. These jobs included letter sorter, T6, window clerk and trainer. While working at the post office, Janice helped locally initiate the local "Wee Deliver" program where she would travel to various South Bend elementary schools teaching students about stamp collecting.
Janice was very active in her children's lives; being a mother advisor for Rainbow Girls and Job's Daughters. She was a Cub Scout leader and founded a support group for children with Type 1 diabetes and their parents after her eldest daughter was diagnosed. Janice enjoyed being the No. 1 fan for her husband's band, "Silverock."
She was artistic, creating ceramics, drawings and other crafts. She loved her online games, as well as card and board games with friends and loved ones. What gave her the most joy was spending time with her grandchildren. She loved creating with them, watching their performances, and telling them stories. The jokes that were shared created memories that would last a lifetime.
Janice is survived by her loving husband of 52 years, Howard; children: Michelle (Bob) Klar of Sturgis, Howard Berberick, Jr., of South Bend, Melissa (Joshua) Johnson of Mishawaka, and Joseph (Jennifer) Berberick of Niles; grandchildren: Rowan, Eathan, Joshua, Jr., "JJ", Luke, Mason, Brielle, Troy, Quinn, Rose and Charles; and siblings: Carol (Mike Thompson) Hamilton, Daniel (Dawn) Krieger, and Kevin (Ann) Krieger.
She was preceded in death by her parents: John and Margret, and brother, John Thomas "Tommy" Krieger.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Janice Berberick
3 Entries
Al and Norris Whitfield
April 12, 2024
Jan was our son, Geoffrey's Scout Leader. She made scouting fun for the boys; so many fun memories. More than that, she and Howard became good friends, and we shared many happy times with them and their family. Al and I are greatly saddened to her of her passing.
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Tina Reimers
April 9, 2024
I´m terrible at this sort of thing, but I feel strongly that I must say something to commemorate Jan because she and her family made a huge positive impact on my life.
Michelle came to Buchanan schools when I was in the middle school (I think) and we became close friends. From that friendship and the support of Jan and the whole family, I wore formal dresses. I sang on stage. I danced. I went to college. I feel sure that many (if not all) of those things wouldn´t have happened without them. Like, physically, without them. We lived about three miles out of town in one direction and they lived about three miles out of town in the opposite direction. They still were willing to drive me home. To come and pick me up. That´s HUGE to me. Without it, I would 100% not be where I am today, living a comfortably settled life with my husband. Without their modeling of a loving, long-lasting, marriage, I may never have had that in my mind as a possibility. Thanks to you all, I am. I can´t stress the enormity of this to me.
I want to share an example of Jan´s encouragement that I still think about to this day.
I remember sitting in their living room, the whole family´s there, and Jan´s trying to get me to sing with them. I´d never thought of myself as much of a singer and I think I sounded terrible trying to sing "House of the Rising Sun" that day. Jan continued to encourage me even though I know it had to have sounded terrible because I didn´t know the song or what I was doing. She told me I sounded good (!) even. I´m sure that was the beginning of me even considering the possibility that I could do any kind of musical theatre. Huge, I tell you, huge deal.
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