Janice Kaye Kettelkamp
January 30, 1965 — May 5, 2025
Janice Kaye Kettelkamp, 60, died Monday, May 5, 2025. She was born January 30, 1965, in Columbia, Mo., the daughter of Ralph and Catherine Cockrum. She spent her childhood with her best friend and brother, Wes, and grew up riding horses, listening to radio programs on her stereo, and attending the Church of Christ. She lived in Houston, Mo., before studying fashion merchandising and business at Columbia College and the University of Missouri and later worked at Von Maur.
She married Kirk Kettelkamp on June 29, 1991, at First Presbyterian Church in Decatur. Together they pursued a shared dream of family, raising four kids in Taylorville, Ill. Janice was known for her love of baking and gardening, as well as for her devotion to God and her family. She had an extraordinary attention to detail, an eye for beauty, and used her gifts and wisdom to create a special life for her family.
In 2007, Janice survived a car accident, sustaining an injury to her spinal cord. Surrounded by tremendous love, support and prayers from her community, she not only survived, but lived a vibrant 18 years with her family, full of happy memories, dinners cooked with her guidance, family vacations and joy.
She was an active member of P.E.O. and the church and lived a life devoted to service. Faced with adversity and physical challenges beyond the norm, she demonstrated stoicism, a gentle spirit, and an aura of grace that was unwavering.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Ralph and Catherine. She is survived by her husband Kirk, and her beloved children Kate, Ben, Meg, Will; her brother Wes (Debbie) Cockrum; and sister, Chelsea (Bryce) Brown.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, May 17 at 11:00 am at the First United Methodist Church in Taylorville, and all family and friends are welcome for a 2:00 pm meal at the Kettelkamp home. In lieu of memorial donations, please send flowers. McClure Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Taylorville is assisting the family with arrangements.
