Janice Kay Godwin

On Thursday, December 12, 2019, Janice Stringer Godwin, entrepreneur, mother of four, beloved wife and friend, passed away at the age of 69. Janice was born in 1950 to Margaret and Carl Stringer in El Paso Texas. After receiving her B.A. in Mass Communication from the University of Texas El Paso, she went on to be a broadcast news reporter, the communication director for a multi-million-dollar corporation, and an entrepreneur. At the age of 23, she gave birth to her first daughter, Ravelle who was followed three years later by her first son, Amon. In 1983, she married the love of her life, Will and together they all embarked on a 36-year journey that was filled with adventure, trials, growth, and unwavering love. In 1984, Janice gave birth to her second son, Gray. That same year, she started a thriving advertising business, Special Audience Marketing, which she would head until her death. For Janice, SAM was about people, not about money. Throughout her career, she devoted herself and her work to helping people and communities. She chose clients who also helped people and communities. Her principles and spirituality guided everything she did. She sought to - and did - leave t...[more]

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world a better place. Geni, her last child, was born five years later. With four children, Janice exceeded the demands of motherhood, friendship, building community, and running a business with grace and a sense of humor. She always had time for her loved ones, and for planning her next big vision. In 2018, Janice saw the completion and culmination of a decade-long dream in B-Austin Community. As in everything she did, Janice sought to create inclusive community and to foster a healthful, holistic, and sustainable environment. Janice often described herself as a "leprechaun," and those who knew her wouldn't argue. She was fearless, playful, joyful, and just a little bit mischievous. She was forever embarking on new journeys, whether that meant cycling through the Alps, doing triathalons, organizing motorcycle conventions, or creating an "Ewok Village" for those who want community along with housing. Despite her leprechaunish nature, she celebrated all holidays with equal zest (though her St. Patty's day dinners were her best), decorating the house and herself to share her joy and excitement with her family. Many were the Christmas and Halloween Eves that she would stay up til dawn making doll houses or costumes to give her children a sense of magic for special days. In between holidays, she was always planning the next party or outing, keeping her family and the community she built around herself glued together. She made everything in life significant because she knew how precious it was. Janice was a mama bear, an Ama bear, a tri-mama, and a leprechaun, a Dona Quixote, a buoyant friend, loving partner, and a woman of visions. She wore countless hats but was always her charismatic and genuine self. She will be forever remembered for her warmth towards all those in her community, her ferocity in the face of injustice, and the unique combination of playfulness and indomitability she brought to her every endeavor. She retained some of this lightness and all of her refusal to quit through ten months of fighting cancer. She died the kind, loving, driven woman she had always been. Though her disease took her body, it couldn't kill her spirit. She was preceded in death by her mother, Margaret (Baba) Gray Stringer, her father, Carl (Goompa) Stringer, and her brother, Ken Stringer. She is survived by her husband, four children and four grandchildren, two siblings, extended family, friends, and community, all of whom have been profoundly impacted by her presence and will feel her absence deeply. A rosary will be prayed at St. Austin's Catholic Church in the Mary Chapel on Tuesday, December 17 at 7:15pm. A memorial Mass will be held at St. Austin's Catholic Church (2026 Guadalupe Street, Austin, Texas) at 2pm on Wednesday, December 18, 2019 with reception following in the parish hall. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to: Marialice Shivers Regional Neonatal Center (NICU) https://secure2.convio.net/seton/site/Donation2;jsessionid=00000000.app216a?1080.donation=form1&df_id=1080&mfc_pref=T&NONCE_TOKEN=A01BDBED229C3AE2020CEEEAA7F5532F&_ga=2.43466790.2024920524.1576364601-178582016.1576364601 OR to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network https://secure.pancan.org/site/Donation2?df_id=2681&mfc_pref=T&2681.donation=form1