Janet Whaley Larie

1927 - 2025

Janet Whaley Larie

November 7, 1927 - February 1, 2025

Janet Whaley Larie of Charlottesville, Virginia, died on February 1, 2025.

She was born on November 7, 1927, the fifth child and only daughter of the late Dr. Harry Easley Whaley and Vera Lambdin Whaley. She was a graduate of Victoria High School and Hollins University, where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology in 1950. Janet taught at St. Catherine's School in Richmond for a number of years. In 1957, she was awarded a scholarship to the National Science Foundation's first academic year Institute in Science and Mathematics at the University Of Virginia. She earned a Master of Education degree in 1958, and was elected to Kappa Delta Pi, the Honor Society in Education. In October of that year she married George Risley Larie.

Janet was preceded in death by her beloved husband, George Risley Larie, in 2018. All four of Janet's brothers preceded her in death: Private Allen Bennett Whaley in 1944 in France, Frederick Seymour Whaley and his wife Wilma Knoop Whaley, formerly of Lexington, KY, Dr. John Lambdin Whaley, formerly of Tarboro, NC, and Robert Owen Whaley, formerly of Charlottesville, VA.

Janet is survived by her son, Paul Risley Larie, grandchildren Kimberly Michelle Larie, Philip Risley Larie (wife, Kimberly), and Dale Bennett Larie, all of Londonderry, New Hampshire, and by her daughter, Elizabeth Bennett Larie of New York City. Janet is also survived by her great-granddaughter, Annabel Sarah Larie.

Also surviving are two sisters-in-law, Janie Dillard Whaley of Chapel Hill, NC (wife of brother John), and by Sally Ingle Whaley of Charlottesville, VA (wife of brother Robert). Three nieces, seven nephews, seven great nieces, and seven great nephews, and hundreds of cousins also survive her.

Mrs. Larie moved to Albemarle County in 1988 from Garden City, Long Island, NY. She was actively involved in her family history and genealogical issues. She systematically developed charts of her contemporaries and forebears, and in the process, located and established contact with many distant cousins. In her family, she became known as the family reference expert and was consulted frequently. She was instrumental in establishing a family round robin newsletter method of staying in touch via the U.S. Mail. With evolving technology over the years, family communication also takes place via the internet and thus expanded the number of family members who participate. Janet's interest in genealogy sparked her involvement in The National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She was a member of the Albemarle Chapter in Virginia, and has been a participant in various chapter activities.

Mrs. Larie has been actively involved in her church. She served as President of the Women of the Church in the Garden City Community Church, her former home. She served as a Deacon and as a Bethel Bible Instructor after an intensive program of study in 1984 and 1985. This group of fifteen instructors bonded together in this program, and a fifteen year reunion was held in 1999. In Charlottesville, Mrs. Larie is a member of the Westminster Presbyterian Church where she has served on the Organ Board, as coordinator of volunteers for the Nursery School, as coordinator of ushers, and as coordinator of flowers.

Janet enjoyed team sports through her high school and college days, and was a lifelong tennis player. She loved to travel, and was fortunate to be able to travel to most major countries and areas of the world such as China, Australia, New Zealand, Egypt, Europe and Scandinavia. She has visited all fifty states in the United States of America.

Mrs. Larie loved her family dearly. She was never happier than with her beloved children and grandchildren. Janet was thrilled to welcome her new great-granddaughter last fall, and was looking forward to meeting her. Janet has been instrumental in organizing many family reunions. She loved people, and was known for her outgoing nature and willingness to give of herself for others. Janet was a faithful and true Christian. She embraced life with optimism and a realistic sense of humor.

A service of celebration will be held on Saturday, May 3 at 11:00 a.m. in the Memorial Garden of the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Charlottesville, Virginia. Her ashes will be placed in the Memorial Garden at the Church.

The family has requested that, in lieu of flowers, that donations be made in Janet's memory to the "Janet Whaley Larie Scholarship" and mailed to Hollins University, Attention: Institutional Advancement, 7916 Williamson Road, Box 9629, Roanoke, VA 24020, or a charity of your choice.