Janet Louise (Gray) Jennings left this earth after a brief illness, surrounded by family. Weakened by Covid, she succumbed to a bacterial infection while in ICU, despite full vaccination status. Family would like to thank the staff at St. Vincent Medical Center in Toledo for expert and compassionate care.

The shock and enormity of the sudden loss of this vibrant, brilliant, creative yet humble servant of God is overwhelming to those who can’t imagine life without her. Her loving husband of 62 years, Irwin Ernest Jennings, lost his rock, and constant, competent, partner in all things.

Janet grew up in rural Plainfield, Ohio, born at home and briefly warmed in the oven. She made playmates of barn kittens in the haymow and is remembered by her brother as the barefoot girl in braids running alongside him, feet slapping in the dust. Janet excelled at school, played the piano and clarinet. She performed the Clarinet Polka and spoke as the valedictorian at her high school graduation.

Janet and Irwin both attended Muskingum College in New Concord, Ohio where they were generous donors and remained active in alumni activities. They were introduced by sister Sue (Jennings) Hochstetter after Irwin had graduated. Janet moved through the roles of triple-major, Honors Graduate, to minister’s wife, to mother in the first year of married life.

Janet assisted Irwin in his calling as a Methodist minister by modeling the role of minister’s wife through quiet devotion, singing in the choir, participation in many Methodist women's groups and as ghost-writer of a paper resulting in one of Irwin’s only A’s received in seminary. They began their married life in Reynolds, Indiana and subsequently were assigned to churches in the East Ohio Conference where they built deep connections with congregants in East Liverpool, Elyria, Barberton, North Canton, Wooster, Mount Vernon and Medina as well as with other ministers in the Conference. A homebase throughout this time was Lakeside.

Janet and Irwin were busy in the first two decades of their marriage as they raised three children with a creative and light touch: Elizabeth Anne, Carrie Ellen and David Ernest Jennings. Janet provided them with the stability that allowed them to fully explore their own paths and form an indelible sibling bond. As soon as all were in grade school, Janet returned to her own educational and professional pursuits. First she obtained a teaching degree launching her long career in the Norton School District as a 7th and 8th grade English teacher. She then concurrently received an M.S. in English from Akron University with a thesis focused on the literature of Henry James.

Throughout this chapter Janet still managed to serve family dinners at 5:30-sharp following a formula beginning with prayer, dishes passed to the right, conversations that were the family glue, and ending with “May I please be excused?” Of course, these meals were not without spills, quarrels, and milk fountaining from the noses of giddy children. Weekends and weeknights were when Janet attacked towering stacks of student papers and laundry. Janet developed efficient systems for the household and carved out only brief moments to put her feet up and read the paper.

Janet’s intellectual ability, curiosity and persistence were demonstrated in her early adoption of computers in her classroom, a perpetually large stack of books being read, genealogy research, and love of word games. She made every effort to keep her mind sharp and delighted in learning.

Janet and Irwin traveled the world, developed deep connections through pastoral exchanges in Wales and England and led Educational Opportunities Trips to England and Europe. For many years they took annual cross-country skiing trips to Wilderness Lodge in Pennsylvania with cousin Jim Larr and his wife Karlen. They enjoyed attending plays and theater festivals both locally and in Canada at Stratford and Niagara on the Lake.

Grandchildren, Sarah Elizabeth and Laura Anne Sibbring, Nikki Leigh and Lindsey Bliss Jennings, and Parker Jennings Patterson delighted in Grammie’s playful participation in their lives during summers at Lakeside, winters in Florida and at family gatherings in Ohio, Northfield, Minnesota, and Sarasota, Florida. They relish childhood memories of games of Scrabble and Life Stories, train trips, Grammie fries and Lakeside porch time. Janet was so proud of their talents, accomplishments and life choices and will be deeply missed at future weddings and births of great grandchildren. Her grandchildren live in the Netherlands, Minnesota, Florida and Ohio.

Janet was generous with her time and talents and in retirement shared the position of Children’s Coordinator at Mount Vernon Gay Street United Methodist Church for eight years, helped maintain a vital Women’s Club at Lakeside, serving as their president for four years and formed the core of their very active book clubs.

She is preceded in death by brother Terry Gray, parents Chester and Ada Pearl (Addy) Gray and cherished aunts and uncles. She is survived by brother Marvin Gray, husband Irwin Ernest Jennings, children Elizabeth Anne Jennings Sibbring (Kevin), Carrie Ellen Jennings (Charles T. Mahler), David Ernest Jennings (Linda Louise Doepker), and aforementioned grandchildren who will all miss her gentle loving presence, wit and laugh. May they continue to see her in the world she built both for and with them.