Janet Merritt Tooby

1950 - 2020

Janet Merritt Tooby


1950 - 2020

Janet Merritt Tooby died peacefully at home in Red Bluff California in February 2020, surrounded by her family. Her long struggle with cancer, beyond the difficulties also brought inspiring moments and rich lessons, which gave her great peace in her passing.


Born in Fort Worth Texas in 1950, she was the second child of Jerry and Grace Merritt, with her brother Craig. Janet's lifelong passion for art began in childhood when she was selected for special art classes at the Kimbell Art Museum. Encouraged by afternoons spent at her grandmother's nearby home, she also studied piano for many years, and maintained her love of both throughout her life. Janet graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1972, where she developed her hallmark detailed dry-brush watercolor technique. This was well-suited to her nature illustrations, most notably her butterflies for which she is best known, giving them a vivid, luminous presence.


Janet moved to California in 1976 where, after earning a teaching credential she pursued a successful career as a piano teacher and elementary school music teacher, always advocating the strong link between music and art. In 1982 Janet met her future husband Paul Tooby in a "meet your neighbors" gathering, and they married in 1985. They settled in Cardiff-by-the-Sea near San Diego, where they raised their son Scott, born in 1989. With her husband they formed a small press to translate and publish the books of author and spiritual guide Silo. There Janet designed award-winning book covers and produced spoken word books scored with original music composed by their son Scott.


In her diverse career, Janet also led a thriving piano studio for over 20 years that always had a waiting list because of her caring way with children. Her students loved her dedication and kindness, always going above and beyond, lifting their confidence and helping them become fearless performers, a valuable life lesson. For ten years Janet was also a devoted caregiver to her brother Craig, who was living with mental illness, and accompanied him warmly in his struggle with cancer.


In 2011 the family moved to Red Bluff, California to be near the Park of Study and Reflection, where Janet was an active volunteer. In retirement Janet was thrilled to find a welcoming home in the Red Bluff Art Association. There she resumed her lifelong passion for art, painting in a range of styles. She eagerly learned in the warm supportive atmosphere, and freely shared her knowledge in popular classes. Janet continued her nature subjects and also did nonrepresentational spiritual art in the style of Kandinksy.


With her husband Janet maintained a weekly meeting of the Red Bluff Community of Silo's Message for all the years they lived there, and this was a source of deep inspiration and great comfort in her cancer illness, which Janet faced with strength and grace as was her way. Janet is survived by her husband of 35 years Paul, son Scott and daughter-in-law Jen, and newborn grandson Leo, and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews. In her life Janet was a person who brought light into the world - in her family, in her great kindness to her students, in expressing higher meanings in her art, and in her many contributions to Silo's Message. Her special qualities were beloved by her family and friends, and continue to inspire the lives of all the people she touched.


A Celebration of Life will be held for Janet on Saturday, October 17, 2020 at 1 p.m. PDT online on Zoom. You are invited to visit the website https://www.forevermissed.com/janet-merritt-tooby/about, and post a message or favorite memory you want to share. You are also invited to attend the online celebration by contacting us through the email on the home page of the website, and we'll send you a link to the zoom gathering, and also a link to watch as a video on YouTube for those who don't use zoom.


In lieu of flowers, you can consider gifts to the Red Bluff Art Association and the Red Bluff Park of Study and Reflection building fund.