Janice Hinds

Janice "Jan" Marie Hinds, 63, of Traverse City, passed away at home on August 28, 2018. Jan was born to Raymond and Mildred (McReavy) Block on December 3, 1954 in Bay City. The Block family settled in Traverse City during her youth and attended Bethlehem Lutheran Church where she met and later married James Hinds on June 29, 1974.

A curious and creative soul, Jan supported her husband and raised their four children with an endless supply of calmness, empathy, and trips to hunt for rocks along the Lake Michigan and Lake Superior shorelines upstate and music concerts downstate. As the children grew, she didn't return to her earlier career path in radio and television but instead pursued a career as a legal assistant and later earned a Bachelor of Science in Information Security and Intelligence degree and a Master of Science in Information Systems Management degree from Ferris State University. Jan also was a lifelong fiber artist (basket weaver to her kids) whose designs evolved over time and included dyed fibrous materials, birch bark, sweet grass, painted paper strips, beading, animal horns, antique glass tops, and so much more. She displayed her creations at art festivals all over Michigan and taught informal classes in fiber for many years.

Jan is survived by her loving husband of 44 years, James Hinds; her children, Jenna Hinds, Jillian (Mike) Schoeller, and James "Iain" Hinds; her four grandchildren, Jayde Daigle, Odin Dokken, Olivia Schoeller, and Athena Schoeller; her sister, Diane Stocking; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her daughter, Jayme Wensko; and her brothers, Thomas Block and Kenneth Block.

Memorial Contributions may be made to the Smolenski MSA Research Fund – 314870 - https://leadersandbest.umich.edu/find/#!/give/basket/fund/314870. to raise awareness and further research into Multiple System Atrophy.

An informal gathering for family and friends will be held 10 am to 1pm, today Saturday, September 1, 2018 at the new location of Life Story Funeral Home, 400 Hammond Rd. W. Please visit www.lifestorytc.com to sign the guestbook and share your memories with the family.