Janine Prindle of Enumclaw passed away in Spokane, Washington, on July 3rd, just 9 days short of her 65th birthday. She was born Janine Adele Wimpress, the second of four children of John (Jack) Wimpress and Doris (Biedebach) Wimpress in Seattle, Washington on July 12, 1952.

An active and imaginative child, Janine was involved in Camp re and 4-H, despite contracting Type 1 diabetes at the age of 7. Growing up, she developed a life-long love of family gatherings, travel, and especially dogs and dog obedience training. She began playing the flute in Jr. High, and enjoyed playing the piccolo in marching band and bassoon in concert band through high school and college and beyond, until decreasing vision prevented it. She graduated from Renton High School in 1970.

Janine met her future husband, Jack, in the WSU Marching Band, and they were married in 1974, following her graduation with a Bachelor of Arts in Education with a specialty in Elementary Music. The couple moved to Enumclaw in 1975, where she briefly taught in a Co-op Preschool and worked as a substitute teacher. Thre couple have two sons, Douglas (born in 1976) and Aaron (born in 1978). In 1982, she began working as a para-educator at White River Elementary School (which later changed its name to Elkridge Elementary).

She remained at that school until her retirement in 2011 (28 years). She also taught dog obedience training for King County Parks and later, Enumclaw Parks, for 22 years.

Janine was a student and competitor in competition obedience, taking classes for decades and earning the prestigious Utility Dog degrees with five different dogs. With her sons, Janine began raising puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind of San Rafael, CA, in 1985, and over the past 32 years, the family has raised 28 dogs for guide work and 3 other dogs for Summit Assistance Dogs of Anacortes, WA. Janine served as a 4-H leader when the puppies were being raised as a 4-H project and continued a er the club, Future Vision, ended its 4-H affiliation. She was honored as the 4-H Leader of the Year for the area in 1997 and as a Hometown Hero by the Enumclaw Chamber of Commerce in 2004 for her service to youth and the disabled.

Janine was a dedicated member of Calvary Presbyterian Church, serving as a deacon and as a table parent and leader of a er-dinner clean-up in its Youth Club program for four years. Declining vision because of diabetes caused her to become a guide dog user in 2007, but undeterred, she and her canine partner, Cranberry, served as a therapy dog team, and Cranberry became the rst working guide dog to earn a Utility Dog degree. Janine has been the subject of numerous newspaper and magazine articles, radio interviews and televised news stories.

Janine was preceded in death by her mother, Doris Wimpress. She is greatly missed by her husband, Jack; her sons Douglas of Bothell, WA, and Aaron, of Port Washington, NY; her father, Jack Wimpress; brother, Ken Wimpress; sisters, Elaine Leir and Diane Schmitt; daughters-in-law, Leena Prindle and Levana Cohen; granddaughters, Ellie and Katie Prindle; grandsons, Jack and Leo Prindle; her guide dog, Royce; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and other family members; and innumerable friends and former colleagues.

A service in memory of Janine is being held at Grace Community Church in Auburn on Friday, August 18th, at 2 PM. In lieu of flowers, memorial gi s are directed to Guide Dogs for the Blind, Inc., P.O. Box 151200, San Rafael, CA 94915.