Janet Lee “Jan” Beitel of Umatilla, longtime resident of Oregon, died on Aug. 5, 2022 in Hermiston at the age of 85.
She was born on Sept. 18, 1936 in Portland.
As a child she traveled with her family, which finally settled in Lincoln City. She loved her time in school and was a lifelong learner, attending many art courses into adulthood. Jan combined her entrepreneurial and artistic skills to create a sign painting business as she struck out on her own. She worked with extreme attention to detail and with intense passion and perseverance, aka “grit.” It was rumored that she once painted a sign standing on top of a truck, secured with a rope encircling her, while pregnant, in the middle of winter.
Jan and her husband of 57 years, Bob (“her knight in shining armor”) met through a young adult group in Salem, which they affectionately called the Lonely Hearts Club. Shortly after meeting and attending a few group outings, Jan and Bob eloped to Las Vegas, Nev. in 1965. While Bob worked as a schoolteacher, Jan enjoyed music and dancing, performing the can-can with the Sawdusters in Myrtle Point, continuing her sign painting business.
Jan and Bob welcomed their first two children while living in The Dalles, and their third child while living in Powers. They were ahead of their time, purchasing fixer-uppers, making improvements, and flipping for a profit to start a college fund for each child.
Jan and Bob moved to Umatilla in the summer of 1977 with their three children. When Mount St. Helen’s blew, May 1980, Jan and Bob made the decision to go into the sign business fulltime, and so they formed Jan & Bob’s Signs. Their business thrived for over 20 years, as they “made their mark,” until retiring and selling in 2002. That did not slow her down; Jan studied, tested, and earned her contractor’s license a few years later.
Jan was passionate about art and loved to paint with her friends, her sister and with her grandchildren. She brought art to her community, planning and hosting arts and crafts shows throughout her lifetime. Jan was encouraging to those around her and would provide support and advice, especially related to business. She loved fishing in rivers, lakes and the ocean. She went on many adventures, including New York, Paris, Tahiti and Hawaii. However, her favorite place to be, other than home, was the Oregon coast.
Jan is survived by her husband, Bob; her siblings, Annie, Judy and David; her children, Dan and Diana; and her grandchildren, Alex, Libby, Nick, Sophia and Maria.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Edith and Frank Snyder; her brother, Frankie; and her son, Andy.
Recitation of the Holy Rosary will be held on Friday, Aug. 26, 2022 at 2:30 p.m. at Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church, Hermiston.
Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 3 p.m.
Please share memories of Jan with her family at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com.
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in care of arrangements.
