Janice Zepnick

Janice Zepnick (nee Petrusky), age 91, passed away peacefully on September 26th, at Oakwood Hebron Oaks under the care of Agrace Hospice in Madison, Wisconsin. Janice resembled the heroines from the classic films she loved so much – fiercely independent, intelligent, hardworking, principled, enthusiastic, and loving. Her strength of character was forged in fire.

Janice was born in Milwaukee, the oldest of Hilda Petrusky’s (Ochs, Keesler) 8 children, and was raised there by her grandmother, Johanna Petrusky. She worked with determination to build a life and a future for herself and her family, graduating at age 16 from North Division High School and entering the workforce at Cutler Hammer (now Eaton) in the mailroom. It was there that she met the love of her life, Ronald “Zep” Zepnick. Their romance was worthy of its own silver screen adaptation, from date nights watching “I Love Lucy” to always dancing together to “Moon River” whenever they heard it, wherever they were. They were married June 20th, 1953, and lived happily ever after for over 68 years together, until Zep’s passing in 2021.

Janice and Zep worked their entire careers at Cutler Hammer (Eaton). Janice was initially there from 1951-54. In 1964, when their two daughters, Pam and Sharon, were in grade school, Janice returned to work at Cutler-Hammer Credit Union. She was respected for her attention to detail and her integrity, never hesitating to speak up against unethical behavior in the workplace. Her family was particularly proud of her when she was elected twice to the credit union’s board of directors. Janice was promoted to vice president of the credit union and retired in 1990.

In addition to her meaningful career, Janice created a rich and rewarding life at home. In 1966, Janice and Zep worked hard to build their family a new home in Greenfield, Wisconsin, a suburb of Milwaukee. They were dedicated to giving back to their Greenfield community, both serving as officers of the Greenfield Hustlin’ Hawks Booster Club and both being elected to public office. Janice’s love of education was evident when she was elected to the school board and was quoted in the newspaper as saying, “I didn’t want to be someone who was just complaining. I wanted to accomplish something for the kids.”

Janice had a love of learning and an insatiable curiosity about the world. She encouraged her daughters and grandchildren to pursue higher education, instilling in them the confidence that they could be whatever they set their minds to. By exploring new cities, museums, historic sites, and national parks on their family’s many cross-country road trips, Janice emphasized the fun of learning by trying new experiences. Following retirement, she eagerly expanded her horizons to international travel, including Israel, Jordan, England, Poland, and Australia.

Music and musical theater were Janice’s life-long passions which she enthusiastically passed on to her family. She made work fun by dancing and singing to Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, Harry Belafonte, Eddy Arnold, Patti Page, Barbra Streisand, Marty Robbins, Peggy Lee, Garth Brooks, Doris Day and Perry Como… just to name a few. Cleaning the house seemed to go faster if you were singing every song from the musicals Oklahoma, West Side Story, Fiddler on the Roof, Singing in the Rain, or Oliver. She also loved the thrill of live theater, from being in local productions as part of the Greenfield Footlighters to attending Broadway shows. But the most fun of all was cheering on her grandchildren in their plays.

Janice also loved sports. She and Zep were loyal fans of the Milwaukee Braves (Brewers), Green Bay Packers, and Wisconsin Badgers, including attending a couple of Rose Bowl games. For decades they both enjoyed winning trophies bowling, playing in several leagues individually and teaming with each other in co-ed leagues.

Janice and Zep enjoyed playing poker and Sheepshead with family and longtime friends. Janice’s passion for games extended to Scrabble, Bingo, Password, and most board games. She was known for teaching her children and grandchildren the importance of playing by the rules and always being a gracious winner or loser.

Janice and Zep spent many years after retirement living at their cabin on Musser Flowage in Phillips, Wisconsin during the summer, and in their home on the water in Bartow, Florida during the winter. They enjoyed fishing and the beauty of the outdoors. Janice relished taking long walks and loved telling stories about coming face to face with bears. Their grandchildren hold many wonderful memories of Janice: playing endless games of Uno, helping bake a mountain of Christmas cookies each year, working together on jigsaw puzzles and reading bedtime stories. They also enjoyed discussing novels with Grandma, singing along to musicals, eating her famous “Eat More,” and losing and then finding their way together when navigating home from the library.

In 2019, Janice and Zep moved to Madison, Wisconsin to be closer to family. At Prairie Ridge Independent Living Center they enjoyed their new neighbors and appreciated their view of the state capital from the porch. Frequent visits with family, especially with great grandkiddos always brought special joy. Janice enjoyed living there until September 2025.

Janice’s family is forever grateful for all they learned from her about their family history and the experiences that helped her become the remarkable woman she was. Both she and Zep were passionate about making an impact with caring and respect, which they did. At the same time, they believed that life should be full of fun, laughter, and love. Celebrating their 60th anniversary, Janice and Zep’s family stood beside them as they renewed their wedding vows. Feeling the deep love they shared for each other, especially at that moment, will remain in their family’s hearts forever.

Janice is survived by her daughter Pam (Andy); granddaughters Julia (Will), Sarah (Jorge), Amelia (Robert); great grandkiddos Kalina, Sydney, Aran, Frankie and Ollie; sister Nadine; brothers Kenny, Lester, and Lloyd (Deborah). She was preceded in death by her loving husband of almost 69 years, Ronald “Zep” Zepnick; daughter Sharon; grandson Arthur; sister Sandi; brothers Jimmy and Duane; mother Hilda Keesler (Petrusky); and grandmother Johanna Petrusky (Eden).

A private family celebration of Janice’s life was held at the Tree of Life Chapel in Prairie Ridge, Madison, Wisconsin.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the Oakwood Foundation, Inc. 6201 Mineral Point Road, Madison WI 53705 or to your favorite charitable organizations focusing on children’s education or performing arts would be sincerely appreciated.