Janice Elaine Pederson was born September 7, 1947 to Ernest Pederson, Jr and Dorothy Pederson in Minneapolis, MN. Her family moved to Detroit two years later and she spent her childhood in Detroit—ice skating at Palmer Park, visiting the Detroit Zoo, going to Tiger’s games, and traveling to Michigan City, IN to visit family. She returned to Minneapolis for the rest of her childhood, graduating from Minnetonka High School in 1965. She came back to Michigan to major in elementary education at the University of Michigan (GO BLUE!). There she met her first husband Peter Haag with whom she had two children. She was a talented and beloved teacher who earned a master’s degree in education from Michigan State University and over the course of her career taught preschool, deaf students, 5th grade, and preschool special education. She stayed at home for many years to raise her children and participated in every aspect of their lives. That meant being everything from Cub Scout Den Mother to Girl Scout Leader to Catechism teacher and PTA president. She returned to her teaching career when her children were in middle school, teaching preschool at Children’s Community Nursery, Vermontville Public schools, and finally Lansing Public schools where she taught early childhood special education, and from which she retired from in 2010. She helped hundreds of Lansing area children have a strong educational beginning.
Jan devoted her life to helping others. This included supporting families seeking refuge in the Lansing area, assisting children in need at her schools, supporting teen parents, volunteering through the Junior League of Lansing, participating in many activities through Resurrection Church, and volunteering at Ele’s Place. She also mentored early career teachers in her schools who still talk about how she supported them as people and as teachers whom they felt privileged to call a friend. Yet she still had time to enjoy, develop, and share her many other talents such as gardening, sewing, basket weaving, and almost any other craft. She loved art, musicals, theater, singing along to the radio on long drives, reading, and spending time with her family and friends.
Jan was fortunate enough to find love a second time when she met Bill Haggerty. Her relationship with Bill continued through the end of her teaching career and into retirement. This time in her life allowed her to spend her days golfing, bowling, and traveling. These trips took her throughout the United States to visit family and friends, annual trips to Haag’s Haven in Munising, MI, and on special trips with her husband to France and with her daughter-in-law, Julie, to Australia.
She is survived by her loving children Eric Haag (Julie Nurnberger-Haag) who live in Hudson, OH and Kari (Darren) Branham of Ypsilanti, MI, treasured grandchildren Malcolm and Isabella Branham, spouse William Haggerty of Valparaiso, IN, brother Steven Pederson of Minneapolis, MN, and sister Nancy (Alan) Lindberg of Prescott Valley, AZ, step-daughters Kelly (Michael) Goempel of Indianapolis, IN, and Kerry DeFrancis of Valpraiso, IN, step-grandchildren Mallory, Sean, and Zach, and many other relatives including in-laws, cousins, special nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents Ernest and Dorothy Pederson.
Our family would like to thank the amazing, loving staff of Robinwood Landing for caring for her throughout her time in their facility and the staff of Laurus Hospice for their end-of-life care. We would also like to thank her numerous lifelong friends in the Lansing area, including Margene Feldpausch and Eve Brown, who supported her during the last couple of years.
A celebration of Jan’s life will be held Saturday, August 28th from 1:00-3:00 at the Central Park Pavilion in Okemos (5151 Marsh Rd, Okemos, MI 48864). Remarks will be made and memories shared starting at 2:00. We are aware that the pandemic is still very much a concern and Jan was such a caring person
that she would not want to do anything that would possibly spread this disease. For this reason, we are asking that all people (regardless of vaccination status), wear a mask. We will also do our best to promote social distancing at the event.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Memoriam of Janice Haggerty to Ele’s Place Capital Region (A healing center for grieving children and teens; elesplace.org) or the Lewy Body Dementia Association (www.lbda.org).
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18