Janice Elaine (Avery) Clarke, 79, passed away peacefully at her home with her family by her side on March 20, 2021, in Cazenovia. Jan was born on April 30, 1941 in Fort Covington, N.Y. to Wayne Newton Avery and Naomi Adelia Barse Avery. She was a twin and the second of five siblings. Jan was raised in Massena, N.Y., graduated from the St. Lawrence School District and was always an excellent student, lifelong learner and avid reader. She was an athlete in her youth and held various leadership roles in several community organizations throughout her lifetime. After high school, Jan attended Drexel University and later graduated from the University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, with a degree in business administration. Jan held many positions during her 25-year career. Prior to her retirement she worked as a real estate sales agent in West Hartford, CT, earning top awards for highest sales and favorite agent. Jan returned back to Upstate New York to retire with her husband George in the village of Cazenovia.
Her greatest joy in life was her family. Jan will always be remembered for her love for her family and pets, being a mother/grandmother, and her generosity with a big caring and sincere heart for everyone she met. Jan was a lifelong champion of the “underdog” and assisted anyone in need. She was a lifelong advocate for girls’ and women’s rights and achievements. Jan will be sorely missed by all her family and friends.
Jan is survived by her daughters, Jill (Jared) Clarke-Ek and Kristin (Jim) Nichols; sisters, Phyllis (Leo) Peet and Bobbi (Richard) Dickinson; a brother, Gerald Avery; and her grandchildren, Walker and Ben Nichols, Nesibu and Bilen Clarke-Ek as well as several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased in death by her husband, George A. Clarke, PhD, her parents Wayne Newton Avery and Naomi Adelia Barse Avery and her sister Linda (George) Killian.
Funeral services were private and held at Evergreen Cemetery in Cazenovia on Monday, April 5, 2021. To leave a message of sympathy for the Clarke family, please visit michaelebrownfuneralservices.com.
