Janine Marie Guimberteau

Janine Giacomini Guimberteau, age 91, passed away Monday October 10, 2022 in Chapel Hill, NC. She was born a French citizen in Algiers, Algeria, North Africa and moved to Paris to attend the Sorbonne University. She participated in the Fulbright Scholar Exchange Program as a teacher of English as a foreign language in the mid-1950s, and met a fellow Fulbright Scholar, John Henry Knelson. They married, she became a US citizen, and they eventually raised their five children in Chapel Hill, NC.

Janine especially loved to knit and sew, was an avid reader and lifelong learner. She was also known for her impeccable fashion and style. Taking the family on long walks through the UNC Campus and Botanical Garden trails was a favorite activity. She also loved the coast and would spend hours swimming in the ocean. She remarried and moved back to France for a period, then resettled in Chapel Hill. She will be fondly remembered by friends and family as a devoted mother, a quiet but generous soul who brought joy to the lives of those who knew her well.

Janine is survived by her five children: Mark Henry Knelson of Durham, NC (Mary Beth), Lise Knelson Fondren of Pine Knoll Shores, NC, Anne-Marie Knelson Rouse of Wellington, FL, Michelle Knelson Reibel of Charlotte, NC (Jonathan) and Jan Eric Knelson of Tampa, FL. Also left to cherish her memory are her 9 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the UNC Botanical Gardens, 100 Old Mason Farm Rd. Chapel Hill, NC 27517; ncbg.unc.edu or the Chapel Hill Public Library, 100 Library Dr. Chapel Hill, NC 27514; chapelhillpubliclibrary.org