Jan earned a B.S. from Mary Washington College and a M.Ed. from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She taught for 38 years including 34 years at McBrien Elementary School, where she taught fourth and fifth grades.
She loved her family and friends and enjoyed traveling the world on cruises.
Jan was preceded in death by her parents Clifford A. Thorpe, Jr. and Mary Highsmith Thorpe and by her brother Lee A. Thorpe.
She is survived by her husband of 51 years, Edgar M. Shawen; by children Edgar T. Shawen and Elizabeth Shawen Underwood (Derek); by stepmother June Thorpe; by sister-in-law Adrienne Thorpe; by brother-in-law Neil Shawen (Liz) and by nieces Alicia Thorpe, Leslie Crabbs and Jill Goldberg.
A Celebration of Jan’s Life will be held at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church on Monday June 21, 2021 at 1:00 pm. The family will receive friends on Sunday June 20 from 4 to 6 pm at the East Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home and following the service on Monday a reception will be held from 2 to 4 pm. A private family ceremony will be held in the Mt. Olivet Cemetery where she will be laid to rest.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Ronald McDonald House of Greater Chattanooga.
Arrangements are under the care of Chattanooga Funeral Home Crematory and Florist East Chapel, 404 South Moore Rd. East Ridge, TN 37412.
Please share your thoughts and memories at www.ChattanoogaEastChapel.com
