Janice Mae Lanpher's Obituary
Janice Mae (Thornhill) Lanpher was a Proverbs 31 woman of noble character. Born in Warren, Ohio on November 4, 1933, she died at Shell Point Village in Fort Myers, Florida on July 10th, 2024 at the age of 90. She is survived by her husband of 69 years, Bill W. Lanpher, son Jim (Lisa), grandchildren Gordon (Noelle), Jon (Jordan), Christa, and Weston (Courtney) and six great-grandchildren (Megan and Anna, Savannah and Charlotte, Abby and Camden). She was predeceased by sons Timothy (12 days old) and David (62).
Saved at a young age under the teaching of her aunt Georgie Minter, she grew up in a Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA) home. At Nyack Missionary Training Institute, she dated and soon married the love of her life, Bill, in 1954. Together they planned to serve the Lord as missionaries in Vietnam. After the death of their first son in 1956, they followed the new call of God on their lives as pastor and wife in Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia.
In 1969, Bill was invited to serve at the national office for the C&MA. They moved to Nyack with their two boys and became valued members of Simpson Memorial Church. Janice served alongside her husband for those Nyack years, and eventually worked at the Nyack College bookstore, Dexter Press, and World Relief Refugee Services. Bill was then asked to be dean of students at St. Paul Bible College, now Crown College, in Minnesota, and shortly after became president. Janice served for 12 years as director of financial aid at Crown and had an amazing impact on everyone who knew her as both the financial aid director and first lady.
In 1998 they left Crown and continued their ministry at Trinity College of Florida. Bill assumed the role of president, and Janice served by his side again as first lady, and assisted the financial aid department. They moved to Shell Point in 2000, and commuted back to Trinity until 2005.
Janice was a beautiful woman who loved God and loved people. She was kind, charming, and a woman of grace and style. Her life reflected the joy of the Lord and she loved connecting with people and learning their stories.
Her Bible is marked up with many of the passages she loved. Here is one she lived: “But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me” (Psalm 13:5-6).
A private family service will be held on July 17th, 2024, at the Fort Myers Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be sent to the Lanpher Memorial Scholarship at Crown College in St. Bonifacius, MN.
“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised” (Proverbs 31:30).
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