Janet Terry "Jan" Kollock

Janet Terry Kollock ("Jan") passed away at the age of 82 after a battle with Alzheimer's. Though the disease stole many of her memories, her charm, kindness, and wit live on in the countless people who were touched by her infectious spirit.

Born and raised in Rockville, MD, Jan attended Penn Hall Prep School before graduating from Vanderbilt University, where she studied Political Science and was a member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority. Summers were spent with family in Bethany Beach, DE where Jan developed a lifelong love of the water. As a teenager, she worked as a lifeguard, and throughout her life, she remained an avid swimmer, preferring the warm clear waters of Florida above all.

At age 20, Jan was photographed stubbing out her last pack of cigarettes to help promote the passage of her father's landmark 1964 report, Smoking and Health-Report of the Advisory Committee of the Surgeon General of the Public Health Service. Authored by U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Luther L. Terry, the report would become one of the most influential public health documents of the 20th century-an achievement Jan proudly championed throughout her life.

Jan's beauty and charm earned her the honor of representing Alabama as a Cherry Blossom Princess, where she paraded through Washington, D.C., greeting President Johnson.

Her professional path began in journalism, writing a society column for The Washington Daily News before she turned to politics, working for Congressman Paul Rogers of Florida, Senator Joe Tydings of Maryland, and briefly on Hubert Humphrey's presidential campaign.

By the 1970s, she had established herself in public relations, serving as Fashion Director for department stores including Wanamaker's and Bloomingdale's.

In 1970, Jan met the love of her life, David Kollock, at a party in Philadelphia. A sailor, rugby and ice hockey player, David's rugged charm perfectly balanced her cosmopolitan polish. The couple married in 1971 in Philadelphia. After the ceremony, the newlyweds paused their celebration to visit a gravely ill friend-a gesture of compassion that defined Jan's character.

In an era when mothers were expected to cook and sew, Jan cheerfully defied convention. Though she burned nearly every dish she attempted, she excelled, filled her children's lives with adventures and enriching activities, opening her home to friends, shuttling tirelessly to practices and competitions, and cheering at every single sporting event. She did it all with her signature flair-gold bangles jingling, lipstick applied, and always dressed in the latest fashion.

In Palm Beach, Jan delighted in the warm climate and vibrant community, attending lectures at the Society of the Four Arts, and as an active member of The Beach Club.

Jan was predeceased by her beloved brothers, Luther Terry and Michael Terry. She is survived by her husband of 54 years, David Kollock; son, Alexander Kollock; daughter, Paige Kollock; granddaughters, Madeleine Kollock and Sophie Fakih; grandson, Alexander Fakih; and sisters-in-law, Belinda Terry and Joan Terry.

A Service will be held in Palm Beach in November.