Janet Nelson Davenport

Janet Nelson Davenport (age 91) of McLean, VA, passed away August 17, 2021, at Vinson Hall Retirement Community. She was born on January 26, 1930, in Brooklyn, NY to Alfred and Ingrid Carlson. She attended Fort Hamilton High School in Brooklyn where she met her future husband, Arthur "Art" Nelson. She attended Vermont Junior College in Newbury, Vermont, before marrying Art in 1952. After Art served in the Air Force during the Korean War, they settled in the Northern Virginia area in 1955 and lived in McLean until Art’s passing in 1994. They were founding members of Charles Wesley United Methodist Church in McLean, Virginia, where Janet remained very active until the church’s closing in June 2020. She was also very active in the community, serving as past treasurer of the McLean Postcomers Club and was a friend to everyone. She was last employed at EPM Publications, a family run regional publishing company based in McLean. Janet remarried in 2001 and is survived by her second husband of over 20 years, James "Jim" Davenport. Janet and Jim traveled extensively over the last 20 years, and truly saw the world together. Janet always put family and friends first and was very kind and generous. May she rest in peace. Janet is survived by three children, Karen Harriman (Robert) of Dunn Loring, Virginia; Craig Nelson (Alison) of Richmond, VA; and Mark Nelson of Raleigh, NC. Janet is also survived by Jim’s three children, James Jr. Davenport (Lisa), Raymond Davenport (Shelley) and Kim Fruin (Mike). She and Jim together have ten grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Janet had a long and generous tradition of supporting her local church, Charles Wesley United Methodist in McLean, Virginia, where she was a charter member of the church in 1958. Unfortunately this church closed last year, so in lieu of contributing to this cause, please consider supporting her alternate charity. Janet and her family have enjoyed giving to the American Diabetes Association's Safe at School Program so that children with diabetes have ample support to learn and enjoy equal opportunities as their peers. Janet and her family have donated to this cause for over a decade. If interested in supporting this important cause, please use the following instructions: American Diabetes Association https://www.diabetes.org/memorial in loving memory of Janet Nelson Davenport.