Janella Palmer Winans, 91, of 66 Canasawacta Street, passed away peacefully on June 7, 2014.
Born March 5, 1923 in Hudson, N.Y., Jan was the daughter of William and Mary Ann (Ambrose) Palmer. She graduated from Mamaroneck High School with the Class of 1940, then earned a bachelor of arts degree in education from SUNY New Paltz in 1944. She also completed graduate studies at various NY colleges. Jan and her husband, Ken, moved to Norwich where Ken and his brother Bill opened Winans Men’s Shop. For 33 years Jan was a teacher in various towns in New York State until her retirement from the Norwich City Schools in 1982. Jan truly cherished her years as a teacher.
On June 26, 1949 in Catskill, N.Y. Jan married Kenneth O. Winans, Sr. who predeceased her on March 18, 1993. Jan is survived by a son, Kenneth Winans, Jr., of Norwich, and a daughter, Barbara Korver, and her husband, Rennie, of South New Berlin. She is also survived by grandchildren, Nathaniel Winans, of Oswego, Kaitlin Korver, of Penn Yan, Sonja O’Connell (Brandon) of Byram, N.J., Erik Korver, (Amy) of New Berlin, Lukas Korver, (Jaci) of Cazenovia, and great-grandsons Kellen and Casey O’Connell, and several nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband, Jan was predeceased by her brother, Gilbert Palmer.
Jan was an active member of the Broad Street United Methodist Church. She loved to play bridge, read, and draw. Also, due to her talent as an artist, she was a long-time member of the Norwich Fine Arts Guild. Jan loved to knit, and in her last few years she donated hundreds of hand knitted hats to area school students as well as making prayer shawls for the Broad Street United Methodist Church.
A memorial service for Jan will be celebrated at 2:00 pm on Sunday, June 29, 2014 at the Broad Street United Methodist Church, where Rev. Nancy Hale, pastor, will officiate. Friends are invited to call at the church from 1 p.m. until the time of the service.
Contributions in Jan’s memory may be made to the Broad Street United Methodist Church Memorial Fund, 74 N. Broad St., Norwich, NY 13815; Chenango County Hospice and Palliative Care, 21 Hayes St., Norwich, NY 13815; or Chenango Valley Home, 24 Canasawacta St., Norwich, NY 13815.
Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Wilson Funeral Home. To leave the family a message of condolence, please visit the funeral home website at: www.wilsonfh.com.