Well, can you believe it? What a life to celebrate! Jan was fun, funny, adventurous, and an excellent listener—and definitely endowed with the gift of gab. Always curious, she enjoyed going places, long drives and talking to people with keen interest, be it family, friends, customers or even strangers whether local or abroad (even if English wasn’t their language). She was an unstoppable force of goodness, she was empathetic, and it can be said that, in a thoughtful and loving way, she wasn’t afraid to share her opinion. If you were lucky enough to know her, you were more than likely to love her too. She will be missed, but her memories and impact, not forgotten.
Now for the formal obituary stuff:
Jan. P. Waid of Vail, Arizona (and Lee’s Summit, MO, and Kansas City), peacefully passed away on September 14, 2023 (age 78). Born in San Diego, California, October 1, 1944 at the Naval base to Lee and Pauline Patrick, she was the oldest of eight children. Jan grew up in Kansas City (Fairway, KS) where she met her husband, John Waid. Their paths crossed numerous times throughout their childhood, and it was in high school at Shawnee Mission North when Jan asked John out to the Sadie Hawkins Dance (WPA - Women Pay All) in 1962. The rest is history and they were married in 1963 at the Village Church in Prairie Village, KS.
Education: now that’s a funny one. She graduated high school and headed to the University of Kansas for a degree in Art. However, those plans were quickly changed and within a semester, she and John were standing in front of a jewelry store (in Lawrence, KS), saw some wedding rings and thought, let’s get married. So they did on March 30,1963, and on September 13, 1967, they began their family. Jan, John and Jordan went on incredible adventures, but nothing topped the summer of 1974 when they packed up the VW Bus and drove across America, visiting as many states as possible and camping at KOAs along the way.
Jan enjoyed a long career in banking and working in the family restaurant business, meeting so many friendly faces along the way. Jan and John lived in Lee’s Summit for over 40 years (with their chihuahuas) before moving to Vail in Tucson, Arizona in 2018. There, they built their own home and have enjoyed the sunny warm weather, the view from their back patio, the desert landscape, the amazing wildlife and the beautiful skies.
A caring and devoted wife, mother, sister, daughter and friend, Jan was preceded in death by her parents and her brother Pat. She is survived by her husband of 60 years, John; son, Jordan and his partner Gabriela; grandchildren Olivia and Sebastian; siblings, Sue (Kurt) Lerner, Judy Patrick, Teresa (sister-in-law, Pat's wife), Michael (Kathy) Patrick, Richard Patrick, Peggy Murphy, Kelly (Melissa) Patrick, along with her many nieces/nephews and their children. Naturally, she would love to list everyone, as well as all her dear friends but there are so many (rest assured if you are reading this, you are one of them).
Jan didn’t want a memorial service (and all that fuss). Her ashes will be spread somewhere at some place, at some time, and it will be perfect.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to any of the following:
Pima Animal Care Center https://www.pima.gov/2286/Donate
Tucson Wildlife Center https://tucsonwildlife.com/ways-to-support/
Salvation Army https://www.salvationarmytucson.org/ways-to-give
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