Jan Soeder

My family and I first met Mrs. Jan Soeder in August of 2015, and that was the first day we visited Lakewood Presbyterian Church with my father-in-law who visited us from Nigeria. She and others were very friendly to us and that was the most reason that we finally decided to be attending Lakewood Presbyterian Church till date. We moved into the Lakewood area from Arkansas in 2010. Before visiting Lakewood Presbyterian Church, we had visited some other churches in Cleveland area. The reception...

I first met Jan at Harding as a parent. Second, as the principal at Hayes. I was amazed when she started a sign language class for staff because she wanted to learn how to communicate with deaf students. Her heart was for the children, and it showed. As a parent/ PTA president, she always worked with us. Jan let me and two other mothers come into the old Hayes and paint in the old gym. We did a mural that held up until they tore down Hayes. She let the staff come to my house for their...

Jan and I were inducted into the LCS Educators Hall of Fame the same year, 2018. We worked together at Harding Middle School; her determination, positive attitude, and ability to always put the needs of the children first helped make her a true educational leader. I will always remember her great sense of humor, beautiful smile, and deep-rooted faith as I gaze at our HOF picture hanging in my home office.

We were friends of nearly 60 years, as sorority sisters at Wittenberg. Jan was a leader on campus and in the sorority. She continued to share those gifts in the school district, with her family, and in the community. Her smile and warm personality will be sorely missed. I treasure the letters we shared and especially the recent zoom calls. We pray for Gods blessings on all those who mourn this loss,

I will always be grateful to Jan for trusting me with my first teaching job (a long term sub position at Hayes!) She was the epitome of professionalism and grace; a perfect combination of business and personal. She cared about the kids, the teachers, and the community. She will be sorely missed!

Jan had always had the time to listen and would often `pop´ in the classroom of my first graders just to visit. She would sit down and read or assist a child quite naturally! It also always would make me smile when she would attend our school programs in the evenings .... She was a role model to me as a new teacher and I thank her for that. Peace my friend....

Jan was so kind and welcoming to us as new church members. She clearly made a huge impact on many lives and will be very missed.

Sincere sympathy to her family. I´m so sorry to hear this. My children went to Hayes Elementary when she was principal. She was such a kind person. My youngest was attending a concert at the Civic for his big sister and Jan was supervising the kids waiting. My son started to fuss and I was trying to quiet him. She looked me straight in the eye and said " Don´t worry. That´s what little ones do". Just this past summer, my daughter, grandson and I ran into her at Buyer´s outlet picking out...

I met Jan through the schools, and had great admiration for her work there. I was then with her through her move from Lakewood to Westlake, and gained even more appreciation for the kind, practical, interesting, engaged person she was. The world is a better place because Jan was in it. She will be missed.