Jan Summers

Summers (Smith), Jan

Jan Summers, aka Janet Smith, of Sacramento, California, formerly from Springfield, passed peacefully into God's care May 27, 2023, at Atria El Camino Gardens in Sacramento. She was born Janet Amelia Smith, February 17,1943 in Springfield, Ohio, daughter of the late Harold Phillip and Janet Buick Smith. Jan graduated from Shawnee High School in 1961, Wittenberg University, BFA, in 1965. Her love of God's creation, nature, animals, and people gave her a full life, joining friends to share adventure, music, art, and travel. Briefly teaching at Emerson, Springfield Art Center's summer classes, and working at an Outdoor Education program in Yellow Springs' Glen Helen, Jan studied stained glass at Antioch College, attending Berea College for spinning, weaving, and natural dye processes. Receiving a MFA in Design at Indiana University, Bloomington, 1970, she became Assistant Professor of Art, Auburn University, Alabama. Art pursuits took her to the D.C. area, working also for Air France. Moving to Arizona, Jan joined Southwest Airlines, was transferred to California, giving her the joy of performing with her church's choir where she built lasting friendships. Sacramento was Jan's home for many years, continuing to work for Southwest, then at the Radisson Hotel Sacramento, retiring from economic development at the Sacramento County Airport in 2014. Jan is survived by a brother, Andrew Smith, two sisters, Nancy Smith, and Bonnie (John) McGillivray, beloved aunts, Edna and Marjorie, several nieces and nephews, many dear cousins, and a multitude of loving friends. Arrangements were handled by North Sacramento Funeral Home, Inc, Sacramento, CA. Donations in her name may be made to The Sacramento Tree Foundation (sactree.org), The Trust for Public Land (tpl.org), Glen Helen Outdoor Education (glenhelen.org).