Janice Mack

Mrs. Janice Deros McManus Mack, daughter of the late Reverend B. F. McManus and Janie Barnes McManus was born in Cheraw, South Carolina on November 15, 1929. Her family later moved to Richmond County North Carolina and she grew up in the small city of Hamlet. She graduated from public school where she attended the Laurinburg Institute of North Carolina. She continued her pursuit for higher education at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina. In order to pay for her education she had to work. She became a student worker and she found herself working for the President of Shaw University, Dr. Robert Prentiss Daniels and his wife. When Dr. Daniels later became the President of Virginia State University (VSU), she was asked to accompany them and complete her studies at Virginia State University with them. She accepted their invitation and went on to receive her Bachelor’s Degree in Home Economics and Guidance. After graduating, she became a full-time counselor at the university. She also began volunteering at the Children’s Home of Virginia Baptist, as an Evening Coordinator. She continued her service there until she was appointed the first female Director of the Children’s Home. She served as the Director of the Children’s Home of Virginia Baptist for over 27 years, from September 1972 to December 1999.
Mrs. Mack entered into eternal rest on Sunday, July 11, 2021 at Southside Regional Medical Center, Petersburg, Virginia. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 37 years, Garnett Lloyd Mack; son, Luis Garnett Mack; five brothers: Lawson, Andrew, Amos, Booker and Jervis McManus and one sister, Zulee Samuels.
Mrs. Mack spent most of her professional career in counseling and human services. She's especially had a deep love and compassion for children no matter what the circumstances. She believed wholeheartedly that the children are our future and she used her wisdom, knowledge and skills to help develop the hearts and minds of all children in her care and those that she would meet along her travels. She devoted her life to investing in the welfare of children and their families. Her philosophy for interacting with children was: “Treat them well and let them lead the way. Show them all the beauty they possess inside. Give them a sense of pride. Let the children’s laughter remind us of how we used to be.” She served as Manager of the Multi-Purpose Building and Learning Center from January 2000 to July 2004. She was the Founder and Director of the Achievers Plus After School Program at the Children’s Home This program that has been in existence since 1999 served the community school children who needed extra academic support..
Mrs. Mack had many affiliations with civic and community service organizations. She was instrumental in bringing together various cultures to positive harmony in Chesterfield County. She is a member of Shiloh Baptist Church where she served as former Chair of the Deaconess Ministry, Founder and First President of the Sixty Plus Connection Ministry, Pastor’s Aid Ministry, member of the Missionary Ministry, Life Member of Area A-3 of the Baptist General Convention of Virginia, member of Youth Ministry as well as other capacities in the church that she loved dearly. She was a faithful supporter of all programs in the church. To name a few of her other affiliations, she is a member of Electa Chapter No. 7 Order of Eastern Star, PHA; Golden member and past president of Delta Omega Chapter, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.; and the Foster Grandparent Advisory Board. She was the first African American to serve on the Chesterfield-Colonial Heights Department of Social Services.
Mrs. Mack has received numerous honors and awards. Among those she held dear to heart are the: Certificate of Merit from Virginia State University, the Certificate of Appreciation from the BTU and Sunday School Congress of Virginia, her Honorary Doctorates from Virginia Seminary and College and Richmond Virginia Seminary, Mother Of the Year Award from the Federal Correctional Institute (Seventh Step Foundation), Prince George, Virginia and Mother of the Year Award from Shiloh Baptist Church - 1997.
She leaves to cherish her memory: three sons, Lloyd J. Mack, Johnnie L. Beale (Carolyn), Billie Robinson (Michelle); numerous children, dear to her heart, that she raised at the Children’s Home of Virginia Baptist, Inc.; one daughter -in - Law, Trenda Mack; one brother--in-law, William Mack; seven grandchildren, Jonathan Beale, Cherrelle Mack, Jasmine Tucker, Caitlin Beale (Joshua), Janie M. Barksdale (Ernest), Isaiah Mack and Mya Wilkerson; Eight great grandchildren, Kevin Wilson, Kyron Tucker, Zendaya Mack, Serenity Mack, Ryan Tucker, Mariyah Mack, Earnest Barksdale, III, and Ari Morse-Wilkerson; one brother, Abraham McManus; one adopted sister and dear friend, Mildred Tucker; Also left to cherish her memory are a host of nieces (devoted Letitia, Gwen, Patricia, Pam, Alice), Sherry (Ernest); nephews (devoted Phil, Kenny, Reggie, Otuka) and other family and friends. Among her friends are her “fifty year” friends: Ruby Carrington, Doris Ridley, Evelyn Minor, Mary McCray and special and devoted caregiver, Mrs. Bertha Green.
Her personal philosophy was that, “Life gives, in return, to an individual that which he or she invests in it.”

A funeral service will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 17, 2021 at the Children’s Home of Virginia Baptist, 6900 Hickory Road, S. Chesterfield, VA 23803. Entombment will follow in Sunset Memorial Park, Chester. The family will receive friends for visitation Friday night, July 16, 2021 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at the Colonial Heights Chapel of E. Alvin Small Funeral Homes, 2033 Boulevard, Colonial Heights, VA 23834.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the following in Memory of Dr. Janice M. Mack: Shiloh Baptist Church 6711 Hickory Road South Chesterfield, VA 23803, The Children’s Home Of Virginia Baptist, Inc., 6900 Hickory Road South Chesterfield, VA 23803, The James Alexander Gayle, ESQ Memorial 21307 Chesterfield Avenue South Chesterfield, VA 23803, George Washington University Dr. Garnett Mack Endowment Scholarship Division of Development & Alumni Relations 1922 F Street, NW, Suite 202 Washington, DC 20052, Virginia State University Foundation P. O. 9027 Virginia State University, VA 23806. You may leave a condolence and view the livestream of her service at www.ealvinsmall.com/obituary/Janice-Mack