Janalie Sue (Smith) Robeson joined her husband, Maurice, in Heaven on November 16, 2021.
Janalie was born on January 29, 1942 to Belva Elaine (Roll) Smith and Jean B. Smith.
She is survived by her two daughters, Miriam (David Pickens) and Michele (David Howard); and three grandchildren, Samantha, Benjamin and Caitlin. She is also survived by her sister, Arlene Pifer (Larry), and her family; and his two brothers-in-law and their families, Lloyd Robeson (Saundra) and Carl Robeson (Dottie).
Janalie graduated from Flora High School as a salutatorium in 1960, where she met her future husband, Maurice, when the school merged with the Deer Creek Township School. She maintained a long distance romantic relationship with Maurice while attending Ball State University, where she obtained a double bachelor’s degree in teaching and theater.
Maurice and Janalie were married on March 17, 1963 at Flora First Christian Church, where she grew up and remained a member her entire life.
Janalie supported Maurice as a farm woman, raised two daughters, and followed the traditional ways of a farm woman, including keeping a large garden and preserving vegetables for the winter months.
Janalie was a second generation member of Psi Ota Xi and was followed by her daughter, Miriam, and granddaughter, Samantha. Janalie was also a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Throughout her life Janalie enjoyed theater, starting with roles in plays at Flora High School, continuing with a theater degree at Ball State, participating in community theater in Flora in the early years. 1970 and as a stage director for the Carroll Junior-Senior High School theater. productions in the late 90s. She always had a flair for drama and creativity and a keen mind for conversing with characters when the situation called for it, so she won the call contest. husband at the Carroll County Fair in the early 1980s.
Janalie was an active member of Flora First Christian Church, where throughout her adult life she served in the Christian Women’s Fellowship, sang in the choir, taught Sunday School for adults for over 30 years. , served on the evangelistic committee and served as an elder. She sang in the Easter Community Choir for many years.
Janalie always loved art and in her middle years picked up a brush and started painting landscapes in acrylics. During her life, she painted more than 75 canvases. Janalie regularly gave the paintings as wedding gifts, adding a personal touch to each to reflect the personality of the recipient. When her grandchildren came into her life, she added portraits to her portfolio and painted several portraits of her young grandchildren. She won a ribbon in the exhibition open at the Carroll County Fair for one of her earliest still lifes, and one of her last paintings was a portrait of Charles Carroll, the namesake of Carroll County, which is on display in the Carroll County Courthouse.
Janalie loved her family and her Lord and in her later years she loved to remember her life with the two.
Visitations will be held from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 24, 2021 at Flora First Christian Church, 8 E. South St., Flora. Pastor Benjamin Lantzer will officiate. The service will take place Wednesday at 3 p.m. at the church. Interment will follow at Maple Lawn Cemetery.
Stout & Son Funeral Home, Neptune Chapel, Burlington, helps with arrangements.
Memorial contributions can be made to Flora First Christian Church.
Messages of condolence can be left on www.stoutandson.com.