Janet Beer Mann

Janet Beer Mann, age 70, passed away peacefully at her home on October 5, 2019, after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. Born on April 3, 1949 in Mansfield, Ohio, she was the daughter of Robert Beer and Mary Nell Forbes Beer.

Janet was known by others as a strong, courageous, independent, adventurous, hard-working, and loving woman.

Janet is survived by her two children, Lauren (Byron) Kehr of Marietta, PA and Matthew (Itiel) Adams of San Antonio, TX; two brothers, Richard (Marie) Beer and David Beer; three grandchildren, Hunter and Parker Kehr, and Macy Adams; and numerous nieces and nephews. She is also survived by her loyal companion and pet dog, Greta, and her two cats, Bo and Mookie.

Janet graduated from Madison Senior High School in 1967, obtained a B.A. in Criminology from The Ohio State University, and studied at the Boyd School in Pittsburgh, PA. She also attended Wilmington College, Universidad de Las Americas, and was a certified Laubach ESL Tutor. In addition, Janet completed the Dale Carnegie Leadership Program, Leadership Lancaster, and was a Master Gardener.

When Janet lived in Lancaster, PA, she volunteered for Project Turnaround, a probation program for first-time offenders, served as counselor in the Hugh O’Brien Leadership Conference for Outstanding High School Sophomores, committed hundreds of hours for the Contact counseling and crisis intervention hotline, hosted numerous international students in her home over the years, hosted a Polish refugee in her home, tutored a Vietnamese elementary student in ESL, served as sign language interpreter for the Willow Street Vo-Tech for Lebanon IU-13, served as teaching assistant for Dale Carnegie, served on the Executive Board for Encounter, and graduated from the Leadership Lancaster program. In 1994, Janet was awarded Volunteer of the Year by the Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas, for her work in the Lancaster County Probation and Parole Programs.

Janet worked at Franklin and Marshall College, in Lancaster, PA, and served as Coordinator of STEP, an outreach educational program for disadvantaged youth, and the Gifted Students Program and especially enjoyed working in the International Students Department.

Janet was active at First Baptist Church, of Lancaster, PA where she served on the Board of Deacons, and Chair of the Board of Christian Education. She also served as Vice-President and Acting President of the American Baptist Women.

Janet was recognized by others for her humanitarian efforts. Janet served on the board for Habitat for Humanity in Mansfield, Ohio, worked on the Habitat for Humanity building project with Jimmy Carter, as well as other Habitat projects in New Mexico. She also traveled to Ecuador with her daughter, Lauren, along with the Tandana Foundation to provide aid to indigenous and disadvantaged children and their families. Other humanitarian work included: working at an Indian Reservation, in Montana, repairing botanical gardens destroyed by a hurricane in St. Croix, in the Virgin Islands, and traveling to Nepal to rebuild villages destroyed by an earthquake, where it was required to hike and camp in the Himalayas for a month and scale Mount Everest.

Janet was an avid gardener. She was an active member of the Ohio Natural Areas and Preservation Association (ONAPA), which is dedicated to the promotion, protection, and improvement of Ohio natural areas and preserves. Janet was also a Master Gardener for the Governor’s Residence Heritage Gardens. While living in Holmes County, she served on the Lake Buckhorn Executive Board, Holmes County Garden Clubs, Holmes County Education Foundation, as well as the Flower and Garden Show at the Holmes County Fair.

Janet was known for her independence and love of adventure. She was a certified travel agent, and practiced in Colorado and Illinois. Janet was married to Bruce Mann for 26 years and they were travel enthusiasts. Among the countries they traveled to were: China, the Caribbean, Mexico, the tip of South America, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, and they rode a cruise through the Beagle Channel. They both enjoyed mountain biking and have biked through the Copper Canyon, Mexico, the Rocky Mountains, and the grueling Des Moines Registry Annual Great Bicycle Ride across the state of Iowa (525 miles in 7 days). Janet also visited different parts of Alaska, where she participated in the “Polar Bear Club” ritual of swimming in freezing water. Janet shared her love for traveling and adventure with her family and took cruises with her children and grandchildren.

Janet was loyal to her family. She served as a caretaker for her mother, Mary Nell Beer, her father, Robert G. Beer, and her husband, Bruce Mann.

Janet is preceded in death by her parents Robert and Mary Nell Beer, and her husband Bruce Mann.

Family and friends are invited to visit on Sunday, October 13, 2019 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at The Diamond Street Home of Wappner Funeral Directors, 98 South Diamond St., Mansfield, Ohio. Funeral services will be Monday, October 14, 2019 at 11 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 399 County Trimble Road, Mansfield, Ohio 44906. An Additional hour of calling will be held one hour prior to the service at church from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Graveside services will follow in Lantz Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Bruce and Janet Scholarship Fund, Holmes County Education Foundation, 114 N. Clay Street, Millersburg, Ohio 44654 or to ONAPA, PO. Box 415, Johnstown, Ohio 43031 or visit their website at www.onapa.org/donate.