Blissit, Janice Lenore Breeding
BLISSIT, Janice
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Janice Lenore Breeding Blissit of Stockbridge, Georgia on September 13, 2022. Jan was born September 3, 1937 in Summerville, Alabama and died at the age of 85 in Decatur, Georgia.
Jan led a long and interesting life and made significant contributions to her community, her church, and her family. She was a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother who loved having her family together. She and Grandaddy Joe hosted many family gatherings in her home and loved to watch the interaction of the generations. They both "made the rounds" making sure to catch up with all the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She loved having dinner and a glass of wine with her guests, watching a Brave's game around the television, doing her daily crossword puzzle, enjoying a piece of dark chocolate, and working on her latest novel. Jan had many talents. She was a wonderful musician, writer, and preacher. She loved to tell the story of one of her first jobs in New Orleans where she collected money from businesses on Bourbon Street. Later in life, she felt a call to the ministry, receiving her doctorate at Columbia Theological Seminary. As a Presbyterian minister, she had a unique ability to help churches going through challenges. She loved this work. It gave her great joy to help churches help themselves. She loved her husband Joe and loved the life they made for each other. They enjoyed playing tennis, golfing, Braves games and their neighborhood friends. She was an Alabama girl turned Georgia Bulldog, and she and Joe enjoyed following the Dawgs football games each fall. They traveled extensively, around the U.S. and the world, but they enjoyed home the most. They shared a love for Henry County, its hospital, and many local organizations. Jan loved art. Looking at art made her feel deeply. You can view her art collection and see Jan's life reflected in the pieces she chose to embrace and keep close to her. Themes of religion, music, family, African American culture, empowerment of women, eclectic images, and natural beauty figured prominently in her collection, and she took great joy in it. Jan was preceded in death by her parents, James Clyde Breeding and Vida Webster Breeding; her husband, Joseph Aldean Blissit; her sister, Dorothy Algaree Breeding; and grandson, Joseph Alan Bunn. She is survived by her sister, Christine Breeding McLeod; her children, Coralyn Bunn (Alan), Dean Blissit (Lori), Joey Shedd (Tonia), Doug Blissit (Beverly), Nancy Waters (Tim), Natalie Baniak (Jonathan) and Jennie Bergen; 20 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
She will be sorely missed and lovingly remembered.
Close friends and family will gather together to celebrate her amazing life, on October 8th at 3:00 PM at McDonough Presbyterian Church. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Columbia Theological Seminary or Clairmont Presbyterian Church.
