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Janette Hopkins Taylor
August 28, 1950 - January 18, 2025
Janette Louise Hopkins Taylor, 74, of Palm City, passed away peacefully on January 18, 2024.
Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Janette relocated to Palm City in 1994 from Bedford, Nova Scotia, Canada. She served as Vice President of Taylor/Towner & Associates Inc., a marketing firm dedicated to small businesses and organizers of the Treasure Coast Job Fairs since 1999. Previously, she was the Marketing Director, Sales Manager, and nighttime on-air host for WHLG, Coast 101.3 FM in Stuart, starting with its debut in 1998.
Before moving to Palm City, Janette had a successful career in radio, advertising, and commercial talent work. Her career began in Orlando, Florida, after graduating from Rollins College in 1972. She worked as a broadcast voice talent, sales representative, and creative director for several radio stations across the Southeast, including WHOO and WKIS in Orlando, WFFG in Marathon, and WVOC in Columbus, Georgia. Together with her first husband, Richard Taylor, she founded LuLu Communications, Inc., an advertising agency that also owned and operated WCKC AM 1490 in Milton, Florida, for six years until Richard's passing in 1986. Later, Janette remarried and moved to Nova Scotia, where she established the Aspect Talent Agency, representing actors for film and commercial work.
Janette was an active member of her community. She served on the St. Lucie County Chamber of Commerce "Team St. Lucie Task Force" and held leadership roles as Public Relations Chair for the Santa Rosa County Chamber of Commerce and Treasurer for the Board of Directors of Santa Rosa Mental Health. She earned numerous accolades, including the titles of "Miss Winter Park" in 1969, finalist in the "Miss Florida Pageant," "Miss Orlando Area Chamber of Commerce," and "Outstanding Young Woman of America." She was also a proud member of the Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority.
Janette was predeceased by her first husband, Richard Appleby Taylor of DeFuniak Springs, Florida; her second husband, J. Michael Towner of Brecksville, Ohio; her father, Benjamin Franklin Hopkins Jr., of Cleveland, Ohio; her mother, Josephine Louise Ryan Hopkins of North Palm Beach, Florida; and her sister, Pamela D. Hopkins, also of Cleveland.
She is survived by her daughter, Kimberly Beckler, her stepdaughter, Aria R. Towner, her stepson, Richard A. Taylor II, and her beloved grandchildren, Lila Beckler and Elliott Beckler. She is also survived by her sisters, Christine D. H. Bubnick and Laura R. H. Baxter.
In accordance with her wishes, she is being cremated, and there will be no funeral service. Friends and family are asked to share any photos or positive memories so that they can be saved and shared.
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Jan Campbell (Campbell)
I am surprised and so deeply saddened at Jan's passing. She and I were in touch in Oct. and November 2024, doing hurricane updates and we talked about getting together in 2025.
Ironically, she and I both lived in the same area of the Florida panhandle in the 80s, but hadn't a clue until our moms met up and exchanged addresses to pass on to us. By that time, her husband Richard had passed away, heart attack on a run in downtown Fort Walton Beach, and she was remarried to Michael and living in Nova Scotia. We wrote occasionally.
After our 30th class reunion, which I didn't make, Barb Beran set up a mini-reunion in 1999 at her condo in Sanibel Island. It was freaking amazing: Jan, me, Judy Pentek, Merry Greiner, and a dear old friend Lindy Mansfield enjoyed biking, fishing, boating, eating, and drinking, and, of course, talking, talking, talking. Three of the spouses, Prentice, Rick, and Michael, did some male bonding out on the water. We repeated the time another year and Prentice and I had gotten together with Jan and Michael several times to look at real estate. We never bought any property, but the memories are irreplaceable.
I will forever remember Jan as a beautiful, smart, and funny woman with a smokey voice we heard over the PA system at Byron Jr. High and which eventually translated well into a professional on the radio. We always continued to say we'll get together soon. Let the passings of our classmates be a reminder that soon can never be too soon, but it can be too late. Reach out now. So grateful to have this amazing set of classmates.
Barbara L. Beran
It is so difficult to believe that our beautiful Jan is no longer with us. I last corresponded with her in October, at which time she assured me all was well with her. We had some great times together, both during and after high school. All the boys loved her; all the girls wished they could be like her. Jan was always the whole package - with beauty on the inside and out, kindness, and smarts. It seemed so incongruous that she was an excellent sharpshooter and fisherwoman, but that was one of the many things I loved about her - always full of surprises!
Jan was a friend for a very long time, and her death has been a devasting blow to me and our SHHS "girl group."
To Jan - we will miss you and raise our glasses in a toast to you the next time we all are together.
RIP my friend.
Nancy Harris
This is very sad news. I remember her well as she was in Byron when we were friends. I'm glad Jan and Barbara stayed in touch with her and were able to give us a picture of her very active life. My condolences to her family and more recent friends.
C. Chris Hoffmann (Dimeglio)
I'm very sorry to read the news about Jan. She truly was beautiful on the inside and out. I remember her as being very thoughtful. My condolences to her family and all who love her.
Douglas W. Scher
So sad to hear of Jan's passing. My family's house was on the corner of South Woodland and Montgomery and hers was 4 doors down on Montgomery. I walked past her house every day to and from Malvern. She was gorgeous. Blondest hair I ever saw and perfect features. We seldom interacted. I think I was afraid to talk to the gorgeous ones(dummy). Her dad worked at the Cadillac dealership in the city and they were very nice, quiet Shaker people. I seem to remember tragedy striking early for them.Her sister who was asthmatic was away at summer camp and had an attack and died before anyone could get her an epinephrine shot. I was even more afraid to talk to her after that(double dummy) RIP Jan...Your young face is etched in my soul!Donald Berg
I met Jan through her sister, Pam, and the Rifle Club. I really wanted to date Jan, but she had a boyfriend who, if I remember correctly, went to US, so that never happened. I hung out at her house a couple of times, but that was it. I kept the little graduation picture and note she gave me so long ago. Still have it somewhere.
Losing Pam so many years ago was devastating, and now this… it's all just so sad.
Michael Cavallo
My memories of Jan also come from Byron. We had an Assembly in which students portrayed the 1964 candidates and I was Lyndon Johnson and Jan was Hubert Humphrey. I'm sure than Jan's beauty didn't hurt in the subsequent voting. But unlike some other youth with beauty pagent looks, Jan was someone you could joke around with in a regular way and I remember some fun banter with her and Chris Grant at our lockers after class. Miss you Jan.