Jan Wheelock

1949 - 2025

Jan Claflin Wheelock

On May 9, 2025, Jan Wheelock, of Porterville, California, passed away in the company of her loving family. Jan had valiantly fought cancer for over 7 years, all the while continuing to find joy and love all around her in the midst of the turmoil cancer causes. She was an example of maintaining hope, grace, and determination, all the while assuring others that it would "all be okay." She is preceded in death by her mother and father, as well as a brother, Roddy Claflin, and sister, Carol Claflin and is survived by husband, David Wheelock, daughter, Sarah Wheelock, and siblings Christine McClain (Cliff), James Claflin (Tracy), Bruce Claflin (Sandy), and Gerard Claflin (Lori), and many beloved nieces and nephews.

Jan was born Janice Mary Claflin to Shirley (Bourque) and Roland Claflin on August 18,1949 in Melrose, Massachusetts. There, she lived with her parents and siblings through 5th grade, before moving to Camarillo, California. She attended Adolfo Camarillo High and graduated in 1967. After high school, she attended Moorpark college and was in the first graduating class before transferring to Long Beach State University, graduating with a Bachelor's degree in recreation in 1971. She then moved to Chico, California to begin furthering her education.

Jan met David Wheelock in Chico and they were married in 1977. They worked together at Sonoma State Hospital and Agnews State Hospital before leaving Northern California and heading to the central valley. In 1980 they moved to Porterville, California, where she began work as a recreational therapist at Porterville Developmental Center. Together, they welcomed a daughter, Sarah Wheelock, in 1982. They established a home and a life in Porterville, where Jan fell in love with being a mother and took great joy in her role. Those next years of life involved countless hours serving her community through St. Anne's Parish and school, Porterville Neptunites, Special Olympics, and any other place that help was needed and she could offer it. She retired in 1994 from PDC and then went on to own Positive Lifestyles, group homes for adults, and was joined in that endeavor by her husband, David upon his own retirement from PDC. They moved into official retirement life together in 2010

Jan was a lifelong athlete and sports fan. To know her was to be very aware of her love for the Boston Red Sox, Boston Celtics and New England Patriots. She played and excelled at too many sports to name throughout her life, some of which included baseball, basketball, volleyball, and tennis. Her family recalls that she was the champion in any sport she tried. She was also an avid swim teacher and lifeguard trainer.

Jan's Catholic faith was an important and defining piece of who she was. At St. Anne's Parish, she led the children's liturgy for years. She attended daily mass, was a lector, and taught confirmation classes for many years. In her later years, she was involved in First Communion Preparation and Altar Server training at Saint Claires in Three Rivers, CA. She was also huge supporter of St. Anthony's Retreat House, were she found great peace and opportunities to further her faith. In retirement, she realized her dream of volunteering at St. Anne's School, fostering a love for Jesus and one another in the children she met there. She considered her main calling in life to be loving and serving others, with a strong devotion to St. Francis of Assisi. She took to heart his mission to "preach the gospel always, and use words when necessary." To be in her presence was to be filled with the love of the Lord.

A Rosary will be held on May 29th, 2025 at 6:00 pm in the Myers Funeral Chapel in Porterville, CA. A funeral Mass will be held at Holy Cross Church on May 30th, and 11:00 am with burial at St. Anne's Cemetery immediately following Mass. Reception to follow at Nuckols Ranch the same day. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to St. Anne's School.