March 26, 1976 ~ September 30, 2020
Nicole Janak Chapman 44, of Zachary, Louisiana passed away on September 30, 2020. She was born in Victoria, Texas on March 23, 1976 to Albert and Margaret (Dornak) Janak. Nicole graduated from Victoria High School in 1994, earned a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics from UT-Austin and followed with a Masters in Landscape Architecture from LSU. She was a licensed landscape architect and for the last 10 years worked as an environmental scientist at Tetra Tech in Baton Rouge. Nicole was an avid fan of live music, gardening & travel, highlighted by her year living and working in China. Nicole loved shopping at Target, movies that made her cry, the beach, snowboarding, following the weather channel (Jim Cantore) but deeply hated wearing a bra. Above all, Nicole loved being a mom to Kate and Aunt Coley to all her nieces and nephews. Nicole is survived by her husband Kent and daughter Kate Chapman (8), her parents Albert & Margaret (Dornak) Janak, brother Eric Janak, sisters and spouses Amanda & Arthur Gibson and Emily & Andrew Phillips, nieces and nephews Seth Gibson (19), Joslin Gibson (14), Annabel Phillips (8), Griffin Gibson (8), Reece Janak (7), Jackson Chapman (4), Malcolm Phillips (3) and Thomas Chapman (2), in-laws Brian & Pamela Chapman, sister in-law Janet Chapman, and brother-in-law and spouse Luke & Brooke Chapman, biological son Alexander Schwartz (22), son of Nadine Lewis & Michael Schwartz of Michigan, among countless aunts, uncles, cousins, and extended family. Nicole is proceeded in death by maternal grandparents Rudolph and Emily Dornak and paternal grandparents Richard and Irene Janak. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday October 6, 2020 at 10:00 am at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Zachary, Louisiana. As a fighter and many years survivor of cancer, Nicole has held St. Jude’s and their quest to end childhood cancer very dear to her heart. In lieu of flowers, we ask that you please donate to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (stjude.com).
