Obituary of Janice A. Thorn

On January 28, 1949, Janice Ann Thorn was the second-born daughter to Muriel (née Elliott) and William Garrison. They brought little Jan home from the hospital in Kingston, NY to their home in Saugerties and to her big sister Susan. Soon another little girl named Mary Lynn joined the growing family. Finally, a few years down the road, a son named William Todd rounded out the Garrison family to make it complete. The family grew up in the countryside between the majestic Hudson River and the scenic, rolling hills of the Catskill foothills.

As a teenager, Jan worked summers at the nearby Catskill Game Farm. She graduated with the Saugerties High School Class of 1967 – listening to her favorite new band called the Beatles. Although John, Paul, George, and Ringo were her first heart throbs – she caught the eye of a boy named David while serving up 28 flavors of famous ice cream at the Howard Johnson's Restaurant in Poughkeepsie. One thing eventually led to another and soon wedding bells were ringing for Jan and her beau David Richard Thorn on June 14, 1970.

Work and college brought the young lovebirds to Rochester where they set up their first home on Chapin Street, two doors down from the Susice family who were destined to become their lifelong friends. Jan earned her Master's Degree from the State University of New York at Geneseo and began a long career as a school librarian. She taught the joy of reading to thousands of children at Rochester City Schools # 7, 25, and 22.

In 1974, Jan gave birth to their first-born daughter Amy Elizabeth followed two years later by Carrie Ann. It was around this time that Jan and Dave began attending and serving with their church family at Irondequoit Presbyterian Church. Jan made it a point to raise Amy and Carrie with a strong foundation of service and fellowship through IPC. She also shared her passion for music, lending her voice to the IPC choir in worship for decades. Sundays were always filled with church events that included dinners in the social hall, Advent workshops, Halloween parties, annual camping trips, and the visits to Industry to bring games and fellowship (and the love of a surrogate church family) to wayward boys who may never have had the benefit of a loving and supporting family of their own.

In 1981, the family started a major new chapter in their lives when Jan and Dave purchased acreage atop the hills surrounding Keuka Lake in Branchport, NY, and in doing so they instilled the gift of nature onto their two children. They bought a small "Yogi Bear" camper to spend weekends in while Dave tamed the wilderness and Jan made a home away from home in the woods. As the years passed, the campers got bigger, a shed with a real working toilet and shower got built, many deer were harvested, bears were encountered, campfires were enjoyed, and they even started dreaming of someday building a real house on the property. But there was still much to do back in Irondequoit as they prepared to move from Chapin Street to a new home on Cashmere Lane where they now had the job of raising teenagers, and opening their home to the "extra daughters".

Jan rarely took time to do things just for herself. But through all her selfless activities she always had a cross-stitch and a good book in progress next to her chair in the evenings. She treasured the comradery of her long-time book club and the many fun times they had together. Musicals were another favorite passion. Broadway, Off-Broadway, or Way-Off-Broadway in the Eastridge High School theater….it really didn't matter if it was a good story set to a musical score. Later in life she and Dave spent years volunteering at the Geva Theatre Center - a regional, not-for-profit, professional theatre company in Rochester, New York.

Jan loved music and performance. So, it was no surprise when the girls were in high school, and each became active marching band members, that Jan and Dave became faithful volunteer band parents. Jan sewed costumes and props, helped plan events, and served as surrogate Mom to the entire band – traveling to every event near or far to cheer the band on to their final competitions at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse.

Jan's family continued to grow, and there was no bottom to the love she continued to spread as she welcomed son's-in-law Don and Dennis to the family and became a grandmother four times over. She welcomed three granddaughters; Bridget Elizabeth in 2004, followed a year later by Samantha Rose and Maranda Laurel in 2005. Then, lastly, a Grandson…Logan Dennis in 2006.

After retiring in 2005, Jan and Dave moved permanently to their "camp in the woods" on their acreage in Branchport. The move meant saying goodbye to their beloved Irondequoit Presbyterian Church but saying hello to a new church family near their newly built house in the woods. Jan would spend her remaining years in service at Branchport United Methodist Church, planning events, serving chicken barbeques, and making more music. She also volunteered at the Living Well and the Branchport Public Library, and enjoyed singing with the Penn Yan Community Chorus.

Grandchildren became the culminating focus of Jan's last two decades of life. Despite her health battles, I'm sure she recalled those later years as her very best. Being able to see the beautiful family grow out of the life she built with Dave was her proudest achievement, and a legacy that will forever follow her. Some of her most cherished memories were built around family vacations with her children and grandchildren, family reunions, and weddings – always surrounded by loved ones. Her family tree is thriving and will continue to blossom with generations ahead to carry on in her footsteps… Footsteps that will continue to make a home away from home in the woods overlooking Keuka Lake.

Jan made it her highest priority to attend and serve with her church family each and every Sunday. Appropriately so, on the Lord's day – Sunday, and on her half-birthday, surrounded by her husband and daughters, she peacefully committed herself to perpetual service as a heavenly angel to watch over her flock from above – forever softly whispering on the gentle breezes passing through the woods - into our hearts to "Remember who you are!"

Jan reluctantly leaves behind many cherished nieces, nephews, in-laws, and friends. A life celebration will be held at Branchport United Methodist Church, 3376 Guyanoga Road in Branchport, NY on Saturday, August 24 at 11:00am for all of her family and friends. A light luncheon follow the service.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Branchport United Methodist Church, PO Box 2, Keuka Park, NY 14478 or The Living Well, 121 East Elm St., Penn Yan, NY 14527.