Henry "Hank" Tucker Janowski

Henry (Hank) Tucker Janowski, age 72, passed away after an extended illness on Friday 24 April 2015 at his home in Tallahassee. He was born in Sebring, Florida to parents Alexander Vetol Janowski and Jessie Edna Tucker Janowski. At the age of six the family settled in Crestview, Okaloosa County where he attended the 1st through 12th grades. He attended Gulf Coast Community College in Mississippi on a music scholarship, after which, he spent a year at LSU before being drafted into the military. He proudly and honorably served as a paratrooper with the U.S. Army 18th Airborne Corp stationed in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. During his service he was deployed with the 82nd Airborne Division and the Marine 5th Battalion to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic to intervene during a civil revolt. The action was called Operation Powerpack. When Hank returned from military service he pursued and later married a spunky beauty from Santa Rosa Co. named Judy (Dobson) and returned to school at Florida State University where he earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in criminology. A few years later he earned his Masters in Public Health at the University of Tennessee and embarked on a lifetime career in that field. He spent his first two years out of school working with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Broward, County Florida. Soon though, the Florida Department of Health had recruited him and he moved into administration and as an infectious disease epidemiologist investigating human and zoonotic diseases. His most important assignment extended through the final 20 years of his career and was spent directing the state’s Childhood Immunization Program. His goal was to increase the immunization level of newborns, children attending day care centers, schools, college and universities and decrease the incidence of vaccine preventable diseases and serious complication and death. With a great deal of assistance from both the private medical community and the statewide public health system, immunization rates were increased and serious complications were reduced to zero. He proudly served the state of Florida, its residents and visitors for 34 years and retired as a Bureau Chief with the Department of Health. Throughout his life Hank was an avid outdoorsman, he loved archery, hunting, fishing, canoeing, scuba diving and spear fishing. He spent his last few years traveling and camping with his close friends, the Tallahassee Gang, as they competed in archery competitions throughout the Southeast. The wilds, be they the forests, or lakes and rivers of the Big Bend, or offshore or inshore on the Gulf of Mexico and under its waters were all his favored haunts; though his greatest joy came from spending time with his family. Hank is survived by his wife Judy, daughter Jennifer, son Davis, his four granddaughters and his brothers James and Alexander. A celebration of life will be held at Mission San Luis, 2100 W. Tennessee St. in Tallahassee on Sunday May 3, from 2 to 4 p.m. All family and friends are welcome. In lieu of flowers please make a donation to Big Bend Hospice or Friends of Mission San Luis in Hank’s name (bigbendhospice.org or missionsanluis.org). Todd Wahlquist of Bevis Funeral Home, is assisting the family with their arrangements, 850-385-2193, www.bevisfh.com

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Henry "Hank" Tucker Janowski

June 12, 1942 - April 24, 2015