Janice Rita Knight - Byers

Janice Bayers of Brooklyn, NY, via San Fernando, Trinidad, died at the New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital on July 18, 2026.

She was born on November 7, 1943, in San Fernando, Trinidad to the late Ethelbert Trotman and Violet Winnifred Knights.

Throughout her life, Janice was known as a personable and generous individual.    She was an adopter of people.  According to her sister, Ann, she was a “people collector”.  Janice had no biological children but adopted many as her own throughout her lifetime.   She never met a stranger and never missed an opportunity to lend a helping hand.  Janice had a heart to help and would give you her last.   

In her free time, Janice enjoyed crocheting, sometimes cooking, listening to music, and talking with her family and friends.  When it came to cooking, Janice’s favorite dishes to prepare were curry crab and dumplings, curry mango, and fried shark.  However, whenever she cooked, she needed an assistant.  The assistant’s job was to bring Janice everything she needed to prepare the dish while she sat in front of the fire to “tend the pot”.  Janice enjoyed listening to the oldies.  On many occasions, members of her family have caught her singing her favorite song, Where the Boys Are.  During the summer months in Trinidad, Aunty Rita (Janice) would travel to San Fernando to gather up her nieces and nephews.  The only problem was, she had many nieces and nephews, but a very small blue Ford Escort.  Nevertheless, Aunty Rita was not deterred.  She would pack them in her Escort like Sardines.  Her small compact vehicle would quickly turn into a minivan transporting at least 8-10 passengers, sometimes more, depending on the size of the passenger.

Janice was an industrious person with an entrepreneurial spirit.  She worked as a nurse in Cora General Hospital in Port of Spain, Trinidad for 20+ years, while simultaneously building a successful furniture business with her then-husband, Michael Mateland.  Upon migration to the United States, Janice worked as a home health aide.  Janice was greatly beloved by her family and friends, and will be missed by all who knew and loved her.

Please join us in celebrating the life and legacy of Janice, who touched the hearts of all who knew her and leaves behind a legacy of love, kindness, laughter, and cherished memories.

In addition to her parents, Janice was preceded in death by her husband Michael Mateland and siblings Rita Trotman and Conrad D'Abreau.  She is survived by her siblings, Joycelyn D'Abreau, Errol Ince, Kenneth D'Abreau, Merlene Durity (and husband, Simeon), Patricia Selvon, Ann Trotman, and Trevor Trotman (and wife, Vida); and numerous nieces and nephews with special consideration to Cristobal Trotman, great-nieces and nephews, great-great-nieces and nephews, cousins, and close friends.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Janice Rita Knight - Byers, please visit our floral store.