Janis Meredith Henderson

A remarkable woman with a long distinguished portfolio of achievemnts. A pioneer in the Volunteer fire service.
Thank you Jan for all your positive personable ways.

I met Janis in 2005 at the Long Island Senior Games, where we were in the same age group and engaged in friendly competition in orienteering and cycling for a number of years. However, mostly we cheered each other on in the sports we did not have in common and that began a long friendship.

I always found her very inspiring and interesting to be around – definitely such a unique person. She opened my eyes to new ways to volunteer – we served as “Angels” together in some of the Danskin Triathalon series for women; Janis as a “Swim-Angel” and myself as a “Bike-Angel”. This included camping out in hotel parking lots in NJ the night before these events, where we always were able to successfully avoid security with her RV and my hatchback.

She had great stories to tell about the places she had been, the people she had met and the things she had done! Initially, I was just incredulous and would think to myself “This can’t be!”, but as I got to know Janis, I found it was all true – she really was that amazing!

She was certainly a very multi-talented woman: she wrote a weekly column in a local newspaper; she wrote the theme words and music for her Nursing class’s graduation from Columbia University (and years later, played and sang it for me) – it was great stuff! She played the piano and the organ well and volunteered with her music as well as Therapy Dogs at nursing homes; and of course – she loved doing Dog Agility with her cocker spaniels and introducing others to the sport.

The last time I visited Janis, I played some hymns on her piano and she sang along with such perfect alto harmony – that was a great final memory – the spiritual side of Janis!

This is a great loss to all who knew and loved her!

Rest in peace