Janice L. Rengert

Jan passed from this life to her Eternal Life with God October 22, 2020 at her home in Newark, Ohio. Born February 5, 1940 to Victor S. Shaw and Cleo R. Howard Shaw, she was 80 years old. Jan grew up in Mt. Gilead, Ohio and spent her entire childhood there. She attended Mt. Gilead Schools and walked almost a mile to and from school every day. Jan was very active in school, singing in the choirs, playing clarinet in the marching band and piano for the Dance Band. As an active member in Y Teens, she was awarded a trip to New York City. Jan was also Secretary of her Senior Class. Active in youth church activities, Jan read the entire Bible before she was 17 years old. Upon graduating from high school she attended the Carnegie School of Nursing in Cleveland to become a Medical Secretary. On May 1, 1960, Jan married her high school sweetheart, Jim Rengert, and the city girl became a farm girl. Five years later, they bought their first farm where she helped with daily chores. First feeding lambs shipped in from Texas, the Dakotas and Ohio. She helped to raise feeder cattle and with farrowing and feeding pigs. Due to her love of piano and music she started teaching piano from home and eventually taught at the Marion Music Academy. At one time she was teaching over 60 students per week between the studio and home. In an effort to become a better teacher she attended The Ohio State University and got her degree in Music History & Theory. She had a total of eighteen years of piano study between The Ohio State University and Ohio Wesleyan University. Moving off the farm in 1988, she joined her husband in Virginia where she taught piano and worked in the music library at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. Moving back to Newark, Ohio was easy in 1992 since family was near. During her 28 years of teaching in the Newark area Jan taught 223 different students of which 12 majored in music in college. Since 1992 Jan served as an adjudicator for the National Piano Guild judging auditions in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington D.C, Michigan, West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana. She served as a substitute organist for several area churches and was active in the music program at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Newark as a choir member, pianist and handbell player. In addition to her music abilities, Jan enjoyed quilting and cooking. Her love of gardening prompted her to become a Certified Master Gardener in Licking County. Surviving is her husband James of 60 years; sons, Dr. Michael James (Ann) Rengert, Dennis John (Debbi) Rengert and daughter Cynthia Lynne (Joe) Kacsandi; seven granddaughters: Rachel (Allen) Crager, Emma (Garret Franke), Grace Rengert, Katherine Kacsandi, Zsofia Kacsandi, Ella Kacsandi and Mary Kacsandi; two grandsons: Seth and Derrick Hursey; and two great-grandsons: Augustus Crager and Draven Hursey. Calling hours will be held on Sunday, October 25, from 3-5 pm at St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Newark. The funeral service will be held at 11:00 am on Monday, October 26, at St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church with Pastor John Stroup and Pastor William Rauch officiating. A graveside service will be held at 3 pm that day at the St. John Lutheran Church (Windfall) Cemetery in Cardington, Ohio. In lieu of flowers, friends may donate to the St. Paul’s Ev. Lutheran Church Music Fund, Wesley Hospice of New Albany, Ohio or the Licking Co. Master Gardeners, Newark, OH. Criss Wagner Hoskinson Funeral and Cremation Service is honored to care for Jan and the Rengert family.