Jansen, Janet Patricia
Janet Patricia Jansen, of Blacksburg, passed away March 13, 2007. She was preceded in death her beloved husband of 52 years, Leonard, and her late parents, Joseph and Ida Pepoon.
Pat (or “Mimi”) to her grandchildren is survived by a brother, Donald Pepoon of Paola Kansas; son, Douglas Jansen and grandson, Sean Jansen of Blacksburg; daughter and son-in-law, Peggy and Theta Bowden of Blacksburg; granddaughter, Jansen Koblish of Blacksburg; great-grandson, Jaiden Koblish; and extended family, Lisa Jansen, Jed Koblish, Zeb, Lori, Katie and Susanna Bowden, Andy Bowden; and nephews, Mike, Steve, and Bill Pepoon.
Pat was born on July 3, 1923 in Monrovia, California where she spent much of her childhood. Southern California held a special place in her heart. She moved to Lakin, Kansas in her teens where she graduated from Lakin High School in 1941. After high school she studied business at the Lincoln School of Commerce in Lincoln, Nebraska from 1941 -1942, before moving back to California in 1942. She worked for State Farm Insurance until World War II and then went to work for the Pullman Sleeping Car Company lining up military trains. After the war she went to work for the Vice President of the California Institute of Technology working on the Guam Project at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. It was here that she met the love of her life, Leonard, who was earning his doctorate at Cal Tech.
Leonard and Pat were married on July 27, 1951, and when Len finished his PhD in 1952 they moved to Logan, Utah where Len did his Post Doctorate work at Utah State. It was here that her son, Douglas, was born. Upon completion of his doctorate, the family moved to Silver Spring, Maryland where their daughter Peggy was born shortly thereafter in 1956.
In 1959 they moved to Laurel, Maryland where she resided for the next 35 years, 20 of which she worked for the Prince George’s County Public School System. In 1994 she and Len moved to Blacksburg to be closer to their children and grandchildren. Upon Len’s passing in 2003 Pat moved to Wheatland Retirement Community, Christiansburg (which she greatly enjoyed) until October of 2006.
Pat was an active member of the Laurel Presbyterian Church for over 33 years and was always involved in the activities of the church (circle, teaching Sunday and Bible School, maintaining the gardens, running bazaars, etc.). She loved to play bridge and was an avid gardener and miniature golfer. She also had a great love for the shore (either the ocean or the Chesapeake Bay) where the family took annual vacations.
Her greatest passion, however, had to be her grandchildren (Sean and Jan) and great-grandson, Jaiden. She was a vibrant woman with a zest for life who displayed great strength and courage in her 20 year battle with Parkinson’s Disease and the myriad of other medical problems that she dealt with in her final months. Her family will greatly miss her but will cherish the memories of a life well lived.
The family will receive friends and guests for a small informal reception at the Blacksburg Presbyterian Church (located on the corner of Eakin and Church Street) on Thursday, March 15, 2007 between the hours of 4 to 5:30 p.m. A private ceremony for the family will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Blacksburg Presbyterian Church on Pat’s behalf.
The family would also like to convey special thanks to the nurses on the fourth floor of Montgomery Regional Hospital (Christie, Michelle, Alicia and Hersha) for their compassionate and dignified treatment of our mother in her final days. Arrangements by McCoy Funeral Home, 150 Country Club Drive, Blacksburg.