Jane Louise Lesniak

Jane Louise Lesniak, age 77 years of Niles, Michigan; mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, trader of antiques, gardener, and devout follower of Jesus died peacefully at 2:26 p.m. on Monday, September 8, 2025 with her family at her side at the Hanson Hospice Center in Stevensville, Michigan following a long battle against pancreatic cancer. Her family is grateful for the kind and compassionate care of the Caring Circle Hospice staff.

She was born on June 20, 1948 in Saint Joseph, Michigan to Theodore Richard and Florine Della Doris (Samsen) Parker, and was graduated from Saint Joseph High School. She came to Niles in 1968, and was employed as the Manager at the Four Flags Antique Mall for many years. More recently, she was employed for thirteen years at the Martin’s Supermarket in Niles as a Supervisor in the Deli department.

Jane was a member of the Calvary Road Community Church in Niles, having met Pastor Mark through Calvary Road’s Fifth Street ministry. When younger, she enjoyed collecting antique pottery and furniture, mostly pieces that she could actually use every day, and for a while she collected Boyd’s Bears characters. She enjoyed maintaining the flower gardens around her house, and nearly always had music playing, including her favorite artists, who are known as Kenny G and TobyMac.

While she enjoyed antiques, she was more interested in the people with whom she shared that interest, and working at the antique mall allowed her to develop relationships with many friends. Her job at the supermarket also allowed her to be face-to-face with the shoppers, and she loved the congregation at Calvary Road, but her greatest interest was her family.

She was sadly preceded in death by her sister, Linda Herman in 1985, a brother, Richard Parker, and by their parents, Ted and Florine Parker.

Surviving family includes her children, Paul Lesniak and Lori Ann Lesniak, both of Niles; grandchildren, Ashley Lesniak, Ayana Lesniak, and Loryana Jane Harris; great-grandchildren Jaxon, Noah, Cayden, and Serenity; and Jane’s siblings, Jon Parker, and Diana Tippy, Ted Parker, and Lisa (& Ryan) Katewich, all of Saint Joseph, sister-in-law Barb (Mrs. Richard) Parker of Benton Harbor, Michigan; and many nieces and nephews.

The funeral service for Jane Lesniak will be at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 13, 2025 at the First Baptist Church (shared with Calvary Road), 1446 East Main Street in Niles, with Pastor Mark Youngberg of the church officiating. The family will receive relatives and friends on Saturday at the church, beginning at 2:00 p.m.

Contributions in memory of Jane may be made to the American Diabetes Association to honor her sister, Linda; or to the Berrien County Cancer Service, 3900 Hollywood Road, Saint Joseph, Michigan, 49085; https://bccancerservice.org/. Arrangements were completed at the Halbritter-Wickens Funeral Home, 615 East Main Street in Niles. Condolences and memories may be left at:

www.halbritterwickens.com

Jane clearly enjoyed life, including the ‘stuff’ in life such as the solid permanence of pottery and antiques, the less permanent beauty of flowers in her garden, and the ephemeral quality of music, which is gone as soon as it is heard. But greater than those things was her love for people, the folks at the mall, at the market, and at church; and moreso, the love for her family; all evidence of following the command to Love God and love people.