Janice Ruth Berkompas, beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and lifelong follower of Jesus Christ, passed away peacefully on July 15, 2026, at the age of 92 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Jan was born on April 12, 1934, in Beaumont, Texas, to Rev. Dirk Mellema and Helen Veen Mellema, the eldest of four daughters. As the daughter of a Christian Reformed pastor, she was raised in a home of deep faith that shaped the course of her life. She often said there was never a time she didn't know that Jesus loved her.

Her family lived in several communities during her childhood before settling in Rudyard, Michigan, where she met Theodore "Ted" Berkompas. After graduating from Calvin College, Jan began her career as an elementary school teacher at Ada Christian School. She and Ted were married on August 12, 1955, in Rudyard, where her father officiated the ceremony.

Together they built a life centered on faith and family, raising four children: Mary, Carol, Robert, and Thomas. Ted's career in accounting eventually brought the family to Walnut Creek, California, where they lived for more than forty years. They were founding members of a local Christian Reformed church, and Jan faithfully served through piano accompaniment, women's Bible studies, and many other ministries.

Family was Jan's greatest joy. She loved gathering children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren together, especially during annual family vacations at Diamond Lake, Oregon, a tradition that has continued for generations. Her home was always a welcoming place where family and friends felt loved.

Jan's faith remained the foundation of her life. Proverbs 3:5-6 was her favorite Scripture: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths." Even in her later years, she continued serving the Lord by preparing Bible lessons for prison ministry.

Following Ted's death in 2006, Jan moved to Franklin, Tennessee, in 2013 to be closer to family.

Jan was preceded in death by her husband, Theodore Berkompas; her parents, Rev. Dirk and Helen Mellema; and her sister, Adrianne "Audrey" Myers.

She is survived by her children: Mary Bosma (Sybren) of Katy, Texas; Carol DeWinkle (Gary) of Chesterfield, Missouri; Robert Berkompas (Cyndie) of Nashville, Tennessee; and Thomas Berkompas (Cindy) of Yacolt, Washington; her sisters, Doris "Dorie" Kremers (Jack) and Carol Wall (Bob); twenty grandchildren; forty-two great-grandchildren; and many extended family members and dear friends.

A memorial service celebrating Jan's life will be held on Saturday, August 8, 2026, at Cornerstone Presbyterian Church in Franklin, Tennessee.

Jan will be remembered for her unwavering faith in Christ, her love for her family, her servant's heart, and the kindness and hospitality she extended to everyone she met. Her legacy of faith will continue through the generations who were blessed to know and love her.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that memorial donations be made to Cornerstone Presbyterian Church in Franklin, Tennessee, or to Alive Hospice in Nashville, Tennessee, in Jan's memory.