Janis Eileen Stophlet

Janis Eileen Stophlet (née Gaston), age 75, passed away peacefully at her home in Smyrna, Tennessee, on March 27, 2026, before midnight. She was born on September 20, 1950, in Aledo, Illinois.

Janis was preceded in death by her parents, Elver D. Gaston and Gloria Elaine Gaston (née Carrico), and by her older sister, Cheri Gaston.

She is survived by her devoted husband, Carl "Cory" Clarence Stophlet III of Smyrna, Tennessee; her brothers, Duane Gaston of Kentucky, Doug Gaston of Ohio, and Darryl Gaston of Kentucky; and her sister, Sheila Gaston of Colorado.

Janis lived a life marked by determination, discipline, compassion, and service. She graduated from Indiana State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education. Through hard work and perseverance, she paid her own way through college by working part-time and full-time while continuing her studies from 1968 to 1973. That strength of character stayed with her throughout her life.

After graduation, Janis worked as a substitute teacher for grades K through 12. In December 1975, at the age of 25, she answered the call to military service and enlisted in the United States Air Force, following a family tradition of service inspired in part by her father's time in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II.

Janis went on to build a respected military career that included service at Norton Air Force Base in San Bernardino, California, followed by service with the Ohio Air National Guard in Springfield, Ohio, and at Blue Ash Air Station. She also served as a full-time civil servant. Over the course of twenty-three years of military service, she earned ten years of credited active-duty service and ultimately retired from the U.S. Air Force Reserve at the rank of Master Sergeant at the age of 48.

In 1992, Janis graduated from the Air University Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy. During her military career, she received many honors, including the Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal, NCO Professional Development and Military Education Medal, Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal with five devices, Air Force Longevity Service Award with four devices, National Defense Service Medal, Air Force Training Ribbon, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, and the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award. She earned not only these commendations, but also the respect of those who served beside her.

Outside of her professional and military accomplishments, Janis was known for her commitment to healthy living, exercise, and nutrition. She maintained those interests throughout her life and encouraged those she loved to do the same. She was also an avid reader who enjoyed hundreds of books during her retirement years and often said that her Kindle was one of her best friends.

Her love for animals was one of the clearest expressions of her gentle and caring heart. Over her lifetime, Janis gave a loving home to six cats and two dogs, most of them rescue animals. She had a special compassion for animals in need and cared for them with deep affection.

Janis also enjoyed cheering for Ohio State football and the San Francisco 49ers. She found pleasure in simple routines, daily discipline, and the quiet joys of home, books, pets, and family.

After suffering multiple hemorrhagic strokes within a twelve-month period, Janis faced her health struggles with remarkable courage and determination. Following strokes in January and February 2025, she devoted herself to physical therapy with extraordinary resolve. Though told not to expect too much, she worked hard to regain her strength, eventually walking without aids and even returning to the elliptical machine she loved. Before her illness, she regularly walked two miles a day regardless of the weather. Her perseverance in the face of hardship reflected the same inner strength that defined her entire life.

Janis will be remembered for her faithful military service, her independence, her resilience, her love of learning, her compassion for animals, and her steadfast devotion to those she loved. She faced life's challenges with dignity and courage and leaves behind a legacy of strength, service, and quiet grace. She will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by all who knew her.

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