Janet Elizabeth (Brenneman) Wingrove, a resident of Leicester, N.C., died on Monday, July 10, 2023, at the age of 78 after a lengthy battle with Parkinson’s disease.

Janet Wingrove

Jan is survived by her high school sweetheart and husband of 58 years, Melvin Wingrove; two daughters, Lisa DeWitt (her husband, Paul) and Rebekah Moffett; two grandchildren, Charlie and Lexi DeWitt; five younger siblings, Judie Garifine, Long Branch, N.J., Joseph Brenneman, Larwill, Joyce LeMasters (her husband, Bill), Lakeland, Fla., and James Brenneman and John Brenneman, both of Winona Lake; sister-in-law, Lorraine Salmon; brother-in-law, Jim Wingrove (his wife, Lynne); and a large number of nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews. She was fortunate to have good friends in her home church of Grace Baptist Church in Flat Rock, N.C., and throughout the United States and in the various countries in South America, Europe and Asia in which she worked and ministered throughout her life.

Janet was born in Mount Pleasant, Pa., on July 21, 1944. She was the oldest of the six children born to Orlo and Thelma (Gilnett) Brenneman, who both predeceased her. She met her future husband, Mel, while in high school at a Youth for Christ rally. They were married in August of 1965, after she had graduated from Scottdale High School in Scottdale, Pa., in June 1962, and while she was attending Bob Jones University in Greenville, S.C., from which she graduated in 1966 with a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education.

Jan spent her entire life in Christian service, teaching elementary, middle and junior high school at Brooklyn Plantation in Orangeburg, S.C.; Santa Rosa Christian School in Milton, Fla.; Wilmington Christian Academy in Wilmington, N.C.; Heritage Christian School in Barrie, Ontario, Canada; Fundamental Christian School in Perryopolis, Pa.; and Mount Caramel Christian School in Mount Pleasant, Pa. She loved teaching the Bible to children in Sunday school, children’s church and vacation Bible school. She played the piano and sang in the choir for worship services during the 20 years her husband was the pastor of Flatwoods Baptist Church in Flatwoods, Pa.

After retiring in 2000 and moving to North Carolina to be near their daughters and grandchildren, Jan and Mel traveled the country and the world as field representatives for the mission board, Evangelical Mission to the Unreached in Greenville, S.C., from 2001 to 2017, and then as volunteers with Source of Light Ministries in Madison, Ga., from 2017 to 2019, until her Parkinson’s disease prevented travel.

Janet loved her Savior and spent time each day reading her Bible and praying for missionaries and loved ones. She loved the hymns of the church and could often be found singing as she went about her work each day. In her retirement years, she took great joy in the opportunity to travel and meet people from churches all over the country and missionaries around the world. Even when Parkinson’s disease left her unable to stand on her own, she would ask, “What can I do? How can I help?”

The family would like to express thanks to the staff of Care Partners Hospice for the help, kindness and comfort they provided Jan during her final weeks.

Arrangements are being made for a memorial service to be held at Grace Baptist Church in Flat Rock, N.C. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to EMU International Inc., Taylors, S.C.: emuinternational.org/give-now/