Celebration of Jan Reger-Nash’s Journey
Shelter 3 (map), Cooper’s Rock State Forest (not Wheelchair accessible)
Tributes to form a Tapestry of Jan’s Life
May 28, 2022, 10 am – 4 pm, Four Optional Sessions
About the day
This is a party. To celebrate Jan’s wonderful life, we will weave an intimate tapestry. Starting at 10 am on May 28, we will have four joyful optional sessions. You can pick the celebration of your choice. Our goal is to have fun living with her love, energy, compassion and spirit.
Jan loves her sisters, family and quality interactions with friends and enjoys deeply spiritual experiences swimming, cycling or walking in the woods where she exhibits sensitivity to all animals and plants especially trees. Indeed, Jan is a literal tree hugger. Because of its natural beauty, Cooper’s Rock State Forest is like Mecca to Jan. She finds sustenance in the wildlife, rugged terrain, rock formations, and, especially as noted, the trees.
Jan also focuses on quality as opposed to quantity. She enjoys unstructured environments where people can be themselves and both mingle with others and communicate without pretense. These dimensions will be front-and-center during this celebration.
Jan especially loved Shelter 3 at Cooper’s Rock. Here, she hosted classes, workshops and memorials. Because Shelter 3 only accommodates roughly 50 people, and we anticipate far more than 50 friends will want to participate in this outdoor celebration, four intimate sessions will represent Jan’s love of life. Participants are encouraged to choose the session(s) that brings them closest to Jan in this beautiful setting. These sessions paint an integrated tapestry of her life.
Please pick the Celebration(s) of your choice:
- 10-11 am. Mindful Hiking at Cooper’s Rock. Led by Ann Chester and Jim McGraw. Will include a walk to Rock City. After the walk, we will talk about how the hike reminds us of Jan. Discussion of other favorite hikes with Jan at Cooper’s Rock State Forest. Poetry and songs by Donna Weems. Mary Oliver poem read by Duane Nichols.
- 11:30 am – 12:30 pm. Cycling, Swimming, Friendship, and Beyond. Led by Kimberly Williams and Rosanna Sikora. This session will include stories about Jan, poetry and music (“All I want from you is to ever remember me as loving you”). BYOB (Bring Your Own Bike). Bike the fabulous forest at the end of the session. Those interested in swimming are encouraged to mindfully swim with Jan’s spirit. These seemingly individual physical activities lead to so much more. Our friendships, especially with Jan, endure.
- 1-2 pm. Sisterhood. Jan’s membership in and love for P.E.O. (Philanthropic Educational Organization-Sisterhood providing educational opportunities for females worldwide) covered more than 40 years. Elayne Ridgway and Mary Koike will describe how Jan embodies PEO virtues. Jan’s Sunshine and 05 Sisters will describe 70 and 45 years of mutual support.
- 2:30 – 4:00 pm. Spirituality and Nature. Led by Jon and Elma Reed, daughter Emily Jewson, and Nicole Gauthier Schatz. Poetry and music by Donna Weems. Introductory comments and John Muir poem by Duane Nichols. Participants will be asked to spend 15 minutes in nature and return from the woods with something (no live plants, please) that reminds them of their relationship with Jan. Please place the artifact on the mantle. Ample time for sharing what in nature represents Jan. Friends in small intimate groups are encouraged to share aloud what they most love about Jan’s role on earth and her influence on them as we move forward.
Similar to Bill and Jan’s 1996 wedding, the intrepid will conclude the day by dancing the Macarena.
RSVP
Download PDF of this page