Jan Marie Carter Cormican

Jan M. Carter Cormican, age 72, passed away peacefully at her Leesburg, Indiana home on Saturday, October 20, 2018, following a courageous 2.5 year battle with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). She was born November 14, 1945, in Indianapolis, IN, the younger daughter of Donald and Ruth (Hamer) Hauser.

One could say there is no bright side to being diagnosed with ALS. No treatment. No cure. No hope. Jan, however, found a bright side, often pointing out that she had enjoyed more happy years than a lot of people get and that things could always be worse.

A graduate of Broad Ripple High School, Jan attended Ball State University where she proudly pledged Chi Omega sorority and graduated in 1967 with a degree in business education and English. She earned a master’s degree the following year. Jan taught English Literature for 25 years, first at Danville High School, then for 23 years at Westfield High School. As much as she loved sharpening her students’ grammar skills, she most delighted in introducing them to the classics of Shakespeare, Hemingway, Dickens, Homer, etc.

A divorced, single mother, Jan’s life revolved around her children, Shannon and Brian, who were heavily involved in school sports and activities and often had overlapping games and events. She never missed a game, and even served as cheer coach and student council sponsor. She was an affectionate and selfless mother, who worked hard and expected her kids to do the same, often repeating her father’s favorite saying “Can’t never did anything.” Jan was blessed (or maybe cursed) to have Shannon and Brian in her classroom in back-to-back years, which could explain why she retired early in 1995. She moved from Westfield to Leesburg, Indiana, where she would live the remainder of her years on and near Lake Tippecanoe, the magical backdrop of her childhood summers as it later became for her own children and grandchildren.

Enter the love of Jan’s life.

One evening, she spotted Roger Cormican, a handsome local Vietnam veteran, in the North Webster American Legion and immediately told her friend she thought he was cute. That friend did what all good friends do and told Roger what she said. The rest is history, because he, of course, thought she was gorgeous and they began chatting. He would soon discover she was much more than that. They were married Feb 23, 1996, and this year celebrated their 22nd wedding anniversary. Jan and Roger shared a beautiful love neither had ever experienced before. She said she waited “long enough” for him and he considers her his “heart and soul.”  Roger’s loving, meticulous caregiving as Jan’s disease progressed was testimony to the depth of his love for her. Shannon and Brian call Roger Dad.

In the years before Jan’s diagnosis, she and Roger enjoyed many adventures, traveling the countryside in RVs, motorhomes and corvettes. They enjoyed NASCAR races, adventures out west and in Gulf Shores, Alabama, and nearly everywhere in between.

Jan’s pride in Shannon, an assistant director of media relations for 15 years at the University of Notre Dame and in Brian, director of operations for Rosema Construction in Fort Wayne, IN, was eclipsed when her five “grands” came along. Her sheer joy was found in Madison, Riley, Lily, Jada and Corey, and the kids knew each visit, no matter how brief, meant a pack of gum. She was the spirit of Christmas and all holidays. Cormican Christmas meant a birthday cake for Jesus, bags of reindeer food and the inevitable wrapping paper war that would momentarily jeopardize her meticulous home. Fourth of July was gazing skyward from a boat in the middle of Tippecanoe and Easter Eggs spilled more coins than candy as the grands got older. Jan lavished them with her presence, pride and unconditional love.

Jan is survived by her loving husband, Roger Cormican; daughter, Shannon Roddel and her husband Steve Roddel; son, Brian Carter and his wife Laura Carter; granddaughters, Madison Chapla (18) , Riley Chapla (17), Lily Chapla (14) and Jada Carter (15); grandson Corey Carson (21); sister, Carole Shelby.

Cremation will take place at Cremation Services of Kosciusko County, 4356 N. St. Rd 15, Warsaw, IN. Visitation will be from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. on Friday, October 26, 2018 at Owen Family Funeral Home, St. Rd 13 & CR 500N, North Webster, IN. Memorial service will follow at 1:00 p.m. on Friday in the funeral home with Pastor David Smitley, former minister of the North Webster United Methodist Church officiating.

Preferred memorials be given to the Kosciusko County Home Care & Hospice, P.O. Box 1196, Warsaw, In 46581 or Indiana University A.L.S. Multidisciplinary Clinic, IU Neuroscience Bldg., 355 W. 16th St., 3rd Floor, Indianapolis, IN 46202. To send condolences to the family in memory of Jan Cormican, please visit www.owenfamilyfuneralhome.com

Jan, you were the best wife, mother and Meemaw. You lived a selfless, passionate, inspiring life and you are loved so very much.