Janice McMichael Wood

JANICE MCMICHAEL WOOD

Jan. 31, 1933 – Oct. 7, 2024

MOTHER - GRANDMOTHER – WIFE – ANTIQUE COLLECTOR

This obituary was lovingly prepared by the family.

Janice McMichael Wood, age 91, died peacefully on Monday, Oct. 7 in the care of Tranquility Hospice and Caregivers of Pleasure in Marietta, Georgia. Known to many in Covington, Lithonia and Dallas, Georgia, Janice was an outgoing, spirited force to her family and friends.

Though she had also lived her last 16 years in Dallas, Georgia, she still felt kinship with her birth home, Covington, Georgia. She was born on Washington Street on January 31, 1933, to Robert Lee and Bertha McMichael as the last of 10 children. During her youth, Janice was known as a fierce basketball player for Newton County High School where she was one of the state’s all-time leading scorers.  After graduation, she worked for many years in office management until she focused on raising her three children. As a longtime resident of Lithonia, Georgia and member of First Baptist Church, Janice was extremely active in the Lithonia school system from PTA volunteer, dance chaperone to substitute teacher. Later in life, Janice operated an antique business known as The Vintage Room, trading in collectibles and antiques in local stores and big venues like the Lakewood Antique Market. A keen eye for collectibles, Janice was an encyclopedia of knowledge on dolls, furniture, toys, compacts, depression glass and china.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 70 years, Ralph T. Wood, her parents Robert and Bertha McMichael, her infant brother Thomas McMichael, brothers and sisters-in-law, William and Lucille McMichael, JD “Pede” and Lena McMichael, Ray “Austin” and Beetsy McMichael and Jack “Sawyer” and Louise McMichael and sisters, Prudence Freeman, Agnes McMichael, Louise Austin and Virginia Lindsey. She is survived by daughter and son-in-law Scarlett and Randy Merriman and their three children Josh, Tiffany Merriman-Preston and Brittany, Tiffany’s husband Matt and two children Aria and August, son and daughter-in-law Damon and Jennifer Wood, their daughter Sydney and son and daughter-in-law Spencer and Kelcee Wood, and daughter and son-in-law, Heather and Don Kopanoff, special family members Marissa Vestal and John Michael Vestal, and numerous nieces and nephews.

The funeral service for Janice Wood will be held at 2 o’clock, Sunday, October 13, 2024, in the Chapel of J.C. Harwell and Son Funeral Home in Covington with Dr. Jim Martin officiating.  Interment will follow at Lovejoy United Methodist Church Cemetery in Covington.  The family will receive friends from 1:00 until 2:00 prior to the service at the funeral home on Sunday. Flowers are accepted, or contributions in her memory may be made to St Jude’s Children Hospital. 

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