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Jan Moore passed away unexpectedly December 22, 2013. She was born to George H. and Evelyn Sutliff in Evanston, Illinois, on May 27, 1931.
Her family moved to the Sweetwater Valley in San Diego County in 1940, and she remained a Californian thereafter. She graduated from Sweetwater High in 1949, and received her B.A. and a teaching credential in 1953 from San Diego State College, and later earned a Master's degree in English Literature from Stanford University. She taught at several schools in the San Diego area before arriving at La Jolla High School where she rose to head of the English Department, a position from which she retired after a career spanning over three decades.
She was an avid folk dancer and was especially fond of Balkan folk dancing and music. An enthusiastic traveler, she visited almost every country in Europe several times, and was able to enhance her lectures on almost any literary topic with first-hand accounts of the locales involved.
She was a generous person with a warm heart and a beaming smile. She had a unique, caring way about her and effortlessly connected with people in any situation. She loved animals as much as she did family and friends. The topic of her cats entered into almost every conversation. She absolutely adored her husband, Bill, whose intellectual humor and wit always kept her smiling and sharing his jokes.
She was a very dear person to all those that knew her. She will be sorely missed, but surely remembered.
She is survived by her husband, William Moore; her brother, George H. Jr. and his wife, Mary; nieces and nephews, Lynn, Matthew, Gregory, Craig, Julie, Karen, Stephanie, Andrew, Geoffrey and Brian Sutliff and Stephen, Melissa and Sarah Welk; and goddaughters, Sarah and Karen Lundy. She was predeceased by her brother, Roderick Sutliff, and sister, Nancy Sutliff Welk.
She will be sorely missed by her many friends in the Metropolitan Opera National Committee, the Friends of Classics, and countless former students of La Jolla High School, where she taught English Literature for most of her career.
Services will be held Tuesday, January 21, 2014, at 3pm at First United Methodist Church, 2111 Camino Del Rio South, San Diego.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Sponsored by Merkley-Mitchell Mortuary.
During a recent visit to San Diego, I was reminded of Mrs. Moore. Breakfast at Big Kitchen, lunch at the art museum in Balboa Park. These are places she introduced me to. When I met with her over the years, she always listened and advised me about whatever was going on in my life. I treasure those conversations and dearly miss her. It's hard to believe that 10 years have gone by since her passing. She believed in me and her support is still part of who I am today.
Georgina Justice Aubin LJHS '92
School
December 28, 2023
I breaks my heart to hear of Mrs. Moore's passing. Although I didn't appreciate it as a high school senior in the class of 1978, Mrs. Moore touched my life in a profound way that year. I wanted to thank her in person. Mrs. Moore, my soul to yours, thank you so much!
Daniel McGrath
July 28, 2017
Mrs. Moore, was a clever and taught me a great deal in a short amount of time. She taught me about the word interlude. She held me back from AP English thinking I would be better served under her tutelage. She was right!
I hope I live up to the promise she saw in me.
What a treasure down here and now up there.
Ubaldo Riboni class of 1992 LJ High
February 7, 2016
Jan will be remembered as a warm, spirited, supportive and vibrant person. She will be missed. Our sincerest condolences.
Barry and Dawn Simpson, Stratford, Ontario, Canada
January 20, 2014
I'll miss our intermittent and continuing chats wherein we exchanged family info. from here (Canada) and there(California). Bill has always recalled for me that his decision to relocate to San Diego brought him to a climate that is glorious and doesn't ever show extremes, such as the winters we occasionally get. You certainly had a rich and good life which came to this abrupt end. Thanks for the memories.
Paul/Cheryl Simpson
January 16, 2014
Mrs. Moore, I still think of you every time I write an essay or a letter and it puts a smile on my face.
Mark Skirgaudas
LJHS '88
Mark Skirgaudas
January 14, 2014
I am so sorry to read that Jan Moore has died. I send my heartfelt condolences to her family.
Mrs. Moore was a warm, lively and intelligent woman and she was an exemplary teacher. She loved the great English poet John Milton and she cared deeply about her students, one of whom was my 15-year-old daughter, to whom she was memorably very kind 25 years ago. Thanks for everything, Mrs. Moore!
Frances O'Neill Zimmerman
January 10, 2014
Mrs. Moore was undoubtedly my favorite high school teacher. She taught me in 10th grade and 12th grade. She made such a positive impact on my life. She would grade (and mark-up) our English papers, then would encourage us to rewrite the paper and turn it in rewritten, which always resulted in an improved paper,a higher grade, and stronger writing skills. Now that is a wonderful method of teaching. I have seen Mrs. Moore many times over the last 30 years since high school and she always brightened my day with her great smile and laughter. I will miss her dearly and I send her family my condolences and prayers. LJHS '84
Mark Wayne
January 9, 2014
Janet Moore was my 10th (1974) and 12th grade (1976) English teacher. I am a professor of Neurology at UCLA and without her encouragement and teaching I never would have been able to be so successful. She gave me confidence and inspiration in my writing which has been invaluable to my writing scientific papers and has forever instilled an appreciation for English Literature, not to mention the yin and yang between science and the arts. Of all the teachers I have had my entire career, she is the one that has most inspired me. By awarding me the bank of america award in creative writing, she gave me the confidence i never had in the humanities. I think about her often and wonder how she has been. I broke down yesterday when I heard of her passing. She will always be in my soul. Sally A Frautschy, Professor of Neurology UCLA
sally Frautschy
January 8, 2014
Jan (Mrs. Moore) was my high school English teacher, and advisor for Mariner's, a service club on campus. She took me under her wing as I grieved my father's death during my high school years, and the friendship continued into adulthood. We would get on the phone and talk, or meet for lunch and talk. Always nice long talks. I so appreciated her support and mentoring all these years.
Georgina Justice Aubin
January 7, 2014
She had a very powerful influence on the many students that were privileged by her tutelage.
She will be missed
Mike Wagner
January 7, 2014
Janet Moore was my 10th grade English teacher at La Jolla High School over 45 years ago. After graduation, we developed a friendship that lasted throughout our lives though I have lived 3,000 miles away in the Washington, D.C. area. Twice she met up me and my family in Europe -- once in Cologne in the mid-1970s, and then again in 2005 for two weeks in Tuscany. Her acute intelligence and boundless enthusiasm for new experiences enlivened all aspects of her teaching career and other activities. She loved to laugh, to know people, to understand what made people tick. Jan, all your former students will miss you -- but we are also grateful for having had the privilege of knowing you.
Mitchell Schneider
January 7, 2014
Mrs. Moore was my English teacher at La Jolla High School (Class of '68) and the AFS advisor. I always enjoyed her classes and she made me work hard at composing good sentences. I think she would like to know that my husband and I host foreign travelers in our home. She was a lovely lady. My condolences to her husband and family.
Susan Childs Hancock
January 7, 2014
We enjoyed being her and Bill's "across-the-street" neighbors for the past 40 years. Jan always had something interesting and meaningful to share. She had a remarkable life filled with many accomplishments and will be missed. Our prayers go out to the family.
Jack & Bettyann Lamott
January 4, 2014
The San Diego District of the Metropolitan Opera National Council will miss her very much. She was a great supporter of young singers and she devoted much of her time and energy to what MONC does.
Ted & Carol McLaughlin
January 4, 2014
I had the pleasure of knowing Janet through SDSU's Friends of Classics, on whose Board of Directors she devotedly served many years. Her knowledge of literature and the arts was exemplary, as was her enthusiasm for the ancient classics, especially at San Diego State University. I greatly regret that the last time we said hello was so rushed. She was dear lady, and I sadly extend condolences to Bill and their family.
E. Nicholas Genovese
January 3, 2014
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