Janifer Maureen Crnkovich, née Hill, passed away on October 5, 2026, in Watseka, Illinois, the same community where her life began on April 15, 1942. She was born in Watseka to James Hill and Katie M. Hill, and over the years became, to all who knew her, a woman whose spirit was impossible to overlook—funny, sassy, kind, creative, clever, and utterly one of a kind.

Janifer moved through life with a larger-than-life presence and a wit that could brighten any room. She was the sort of person everyone seemed to love at once. Her humor, strength, mischievousness, and ingenuity became part of the memories she leaves behind, as did her remarkable ability to show up for others. She cared deeply for the people around her, looked after neighbor children, and welcomed others in with the warmth of family, even offering people a place to stay when they needed one. She treated people not as outsiders, but as her own.

Her hands were rarely still. Janifer loved crafts, baking, flowers, music, sewing, painting, fast cars, and motorcycles. She was known for her unique crafts and creations, and for a creative eye that extended to interior decorating. She had the resourcefulness of a true problem-solver, a MacGyver type in the best sense—capable, imaginative, and always ready to make something beautiful, useful, or unexpected. Her cleverness and artistic spirit were woven through the life she built and the home she made.

Of all she cherished, Janifer was proudest of her family. She held especially close the blessings of her children and grandchildren, and she treasured the life she shared with her husband, Richard. Their 60-year marriage stood as one of her great joys, and it was a bond she honored every day; she never took her wedding band off. Just as she was close to her family, they were close to her, and that love shaped the heart of her life.

Janifer is survived by her beloved husband, Richard Crnkovich; her loving children, Suzette May, Kim Crnkovich (Melanie Kosar), Lisa (John) Uckerman, and Rocky; her cherished grandchildren, Jessica (Jereme) Bryant, Eric (Allison) Crnkovich, Haley Uckerman, Jordan (Kaitlyn) May, Jenna Uckerman, Lauren May, John Uckerman Jr., and Samuel Uckerman; her adored great-granddaughter, Addielynn May; and her dear siblings, Sherman Wilson Hill, Gary (Sydney) Hill, Patricia Barker, James (Barbara) Hill, Judy Taylor Hill, Kitty (Brian) Casselman, and Mark Hill. She leaves behind a family circle held together by affection, laughter, and the enduring example of her care.

She was preceded in death by her father, James Hill, and her mother, Katie M. Hill, nee Horner.

Visitation will be held on Friday, October 9, 2026, from 9:30 a.m. until the time of Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m. at Mater Christi Church, 2401 S. 10th Avenue, North Riverside.  Interment will follow at Resurrection Cemetery in Justice.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions made in memory of Janifer to Wounded Warriors, St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, Tunnel of Towers, or the ASPCA would be greatly appreciated.

Janifer Maureen Crnkovich will be remembered for the way she created, the way she laughed, the way she cared for others, and the way she made people feel they belonged. Her love remains in the family she cherished, in the memories she shaped, and in the many lives made warmer by her presence.