Janice "Jan" (Herringshaw) Gardner
Obituaries
Vail Daily - April 6, 1998
Long time local to be remembered Wednesday
Janice Herringshaw "Jan" Gardner, a valuable community member since moving to Vail in 1971, died suddenly Saturday at the Vail Valley Medical Center of a pulmonary embolism while recovering from a ruptured achilles tendon incurred three weeks ago. She was 48.
A memorial service is at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Vail Interfaith Chapel, with a gathering of family and friends to follow at the Peplinski hop, 109 Trout Pond Lane in Eagle-Vail.
Devoted to her family, Jan was a valued friend and so-worker. She would tackle any task, whether big or small, with a smile and strong commitment, said close friends Jackie Henry and Jackie Hijmans.
Jan had a heart that was always open to family and friends, added Henry who shared their mutual love of tennis as her regular partner. "There wasn't a situation she couldn't look through and turn into a positive with her great sense of humor."
Hijmans, who has known Jan since their children were young, also worked with Jan for three years in the Meadow Mountain Elementary media center.
"Her loss is devastating," Hijmans said. "Everyone at Meadow Mountain has always admired her ability to work with children and teachers and appreciated her commitment to go way beyond the job requirements. Jan was not one of those people who let life come to her, she embraced it vigorously.
"Jan was involved and dynamic, a bright, poised, loyal, hard-working and a caring person," Hijmans added. She was so highly regarded, a real prize. She touched a lot of people."
Even after she left her position at MMES, Jan still volunteered regularly in the classroom. While on a recent vacation, she brought back trinkets for everyone in the class.
Born June 2, 1949 in Toledo, Ohio, Jan graduated from the University of Kentucky. She married Howard in May, 1971 in Toledo, and the couple moved that October to the Vail area where they remained to raise their family. The family recently moved to Bellyache Ridge, an area with wide open spaces that Jan especially relished.
The Gardners are like our family, said close friend Kathy Peplinski. She explained that when many young families first moved to Vail, they had no relatives living close by with which to share those special events.
"Your friends then become your family," Peplinski said. "Our kids and theirs (the Gardners) are like brothers and sisters. We've spent holidays and birthdays together for 21 years. Jan's like a sister to me."
Jan was always so strong and supportive, no matter what the situation, Peplinski added. Whether someone had a sick parent, an injured child or marital problems, she was always right there for everyone. "I'll miss my best friend."
Jan is survived by her husband Howard, daughter Kelly who attends Connecticut Collegae, so Brian, a Battle Mountain High School senior; sister Karen Spiess of Macero, California and Chery Zielinski of Swanton, Ohio; brother Doug Herringshaw of Cass City, Mich. and step-mother Sally Herringshaw of Grand Island, Fla.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Jan Gardner Memorial Children's Book Fund, c/o FirstBank of Vail, 17 Vail Road., Vail, Colo. 81658.
