Janice P. Van Pelt, age 66, was called home by her mom and dad after a short but courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.

Born at Butterfield Hospital in Cold Spring on June 30, 1951 to the late William Russell and Jean (Carson) Van Pelt, she first lived in Beacon on her grandparents' property in a small trailer with her mom, dad and brother Russell. When she was 18 months old, the family bought a home in Fishkill and that is where she grew up. She attended Fishkill Elementary School and in the 4th grade knew she wanted to be a physical education teacher. She attended Wappingers Junior High and in 1969 graduated from Roy C. Ketcham High School. She attended Dutchess Community College and then transferred to Capital University in Columbus, Ohio. She pursued her childhood dream and graduated in 1974 with a BA degree in Education and a major in Physical Education.

While growing up, she played all sports in high school and college. She worked summers at the Town of Fishkill and Wappingers summer camp programs.
She was a member of the first girls travel softball team “The Fishkill Debs”. Later their name was changed to honor their coach Jeannie Behan, thus the name “JB Debs”. After college graduation, she substituted at John Jay High School and coached many sports teams there.

In February 1975, she started working as a gym teach at St. Mary’s in Fishkill and Wappingers, and St. Columba in Hopewell. She then chose to stay at St. Mary’s in Wappingers on a full time basis for 16 ½ years. While there, she coached CYO girls basketball as well as being a girl scout leader. She then worked as a school bus driver for the WCSD for the next three years until her retirement in 2013 for a total career of 23 years.

Janice loved to be with children. During her younger years, she would gather the children in her neighborhood and play games on her front lawn. Through the years, she touched the lives of over 5000 children. She used to say that “Jerry had his kids and I have mine.”

Janice was a charter member of the Rombout Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary. Janice also loved playing Bingo and going to the casinos.

Surviving are her sister Roberta Theiss and her partner Frank Coluccio; her brothers, Russell and William and their wives Janis and Heleen; her nieces and nephews, Deanna Theiss and her partner Christopher Walsh, Sandra Scala and her husband Jeff, Garrett Van Pelt and his wife Kathleen, Meredith (Van Pelt) Short and her husband David, Lydia, William and James Van Pelt; her step niece, Brianna Nawrocki and her partner Casey Myers; her Goddaughter and niece, Tara (Van Pelt) and her husband Scott Urbanak who were very special to her; her great nieces and nephews, Elizabeth and Danny Urbanak, James and Chyenne Scala, Paige Olivia Walsh, George Van Pelt, Landon Dhalla and Lillian Myers. Also surviving are two very special sisters-in-law, Susan Morrill and Leslie Fitzgibbons, as well as her cat “Snuggles”. She would also like to mention her special friends, Marlee, Sue Beth, Sandy, Carol D. and Barb B. She was predeceased by her parents, her nephew, Scott Russell, her beloved Godmother, Patricia McGuirk and her two cats Reebock and Puzzle.

Calling hours will be held on Wednesday from 4-8pm at McHoul Funeral Home of Fishkill, Inc., 1089 Main St., Fishkill. The funeral service will be held of Thursday at 11am at the funeral home followed by burial in the family plot at Fishkill Rural Cemetery.

Donations may be made to Hudson Valley Hospice. Please visit Janice's Book of Memories at www.mchoulfuneralhome.com.