Janet Lillian (Caryl) Curtiss

Janet Lillian Caryl Curtiss received her well-earned angel wings on January 22, 2021 at the age of 85. Jan was born April 22, 1935 in Birmingham, Michigan to Basil and Velma Caryl.

At the age of 10, Jan so loved the Lord that every Sunday she walked by herself to the neighborhood Methodist Church. For the past 22 years, Jan was a member of Southern Heights Church in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Jan had many amazing talents. She enjoyed cooking for her family (especially Sunday dinners), gardening, and was very artistic. Jan had a flair for style, a true fashionista. She loved people, especially kids. Jan had a beautiful singing voice. In high school, she sang on WJR as a member of the Don Large Chorus. She was the epitome of forgiveness, class, and kindness. So many of her daughters' friends (too numerous to count) thought of Jan as their second mother. Jan faced challenges in life with a positive outlook and grace.

Jan married Kenneth Kleyn at the age of 19. They had her four greatest accomplishments. Jan wanted a baseball team, but thankfully ended up with four loving daughters.

In the second half of her life, Jan was fortunate to find her true love, Roy Easterwood. They spent 25 years together and traveled the world. She was looking forward to being reunited with Roy in heaven.

Jan was proceeded in death by her parents, Basil and Velma Caryl; two sisters, Joyce (Dale) Roberts and Jackie (Denny) Converse; son-in-law, David Garber; grandson, Jacob Garber; and her best friend and life partner, Roy Easterwood.

Jan is survived by her four daughters, Julia (Rick) Vleugel, Dana (Jim) Vance, Amy (Bob) Garber, and Heidi Kleyn; her eight grandchildren, Brittany (Rob) Marvin, Caitlin (Brett) Baumgartner, Kim (Steve) Walsh, Jamie (Tricia) Clark, Michael (Abigail) Garber, Lawrence (Alejandro) Garber, Emily Garber, Mitchell Kleyn; two step granddaughters, Jamie Langley and Jennifer Bennett; as well as nine great grandchildren.

Jan had a sweet tooth—next time you are enjoying a Hershey bar, please think of her.

A memorial service to celebrate Jan's life will be held Thursday, January 28, 2021 at 1:30PM at Southern Heights Church, 4141 E Hillandale Drive, Kalamazoo, MI 49008. Friends may visit from 1:00PM until the time of the service. The service will be streamed, and the link will be provided as soon as it is available. COVID-19 precautions will be followed—masks are to be worn and social distancing respected as much as possible.

In lieu of monetary donations, please donate your time and talents to any children's organization.

Please visit Jan's personalized online guestbook to sign her "Tribute Wall" at https://www.langelands.com