Janet Louise Bain Shumway, long-term resident of Moscow, passed away Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022, in Scottsdale, Ariz., at the age of 83. Born to a working-class family in San Francisco, Janet graduated from Brigham Young University and completed a dietetic internship on Staten Island, N.Y., and she was proud to be a first-generation college graduate. She met Richard Shumway in 1961, when they were both students at University of California – Davis, and they celebrated their 58th wedding anniversary this summer.
Convinced that each generation should improve on the previous one, Janet prized education and spurred all six of her children to multiple degrees. She passed on her love of nature and gardening. Although she never learned to play a musical instrument (other than the radio, she would say), she insisted that each of her children take piano lessons. She always had a solid belief in Jesus Christ and was a devoted member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving in almost every lay position in the church, but her passion was studying and teaching Sunday school, early-morning seminary, institute and anywhere else people would listen. She and Richard served a full-time mission in Europe in 2009-11. She looked forward to re-joining her parents, brothers and friends, and experiencing even greater joy in the next life.
Her parents’ Depression-era experiences shaped Janet’s formative years and spawned a lifetime of avid penny-pinching and couponing for sport. Janet had a sassy sense of humor and a thunderous laugh. She was renowned for her unique idioms. She loved San Francisco, New York City, trains, musicals and road trips. Though generally dignified and well-mannered, Janet possessed a quirk that was decidedly unladylike, so she did not believe in stifling sneezes and hers could best be described as “explosive,” or “earth-shaking.” She enjoyed many years in her mountain home and garden as well as volunteering for the Jazz Festival and before that, in College Station, Texas, where she loved giving volunteer service for Hospice, Habitat for Humanity and several other community organizations. Janet struggled with progressive dementia the last several years of her life, but she remained ever-affectionate and in good spirits even as her cognition declined.
Janet was preceded in death by her parents, Eugene and Marvel Bain, and brothers, Robert and Steve Bain. She is survived by her husband, Richard; her children, Shelly Shumway (Arthur Smith), Sharon Caetano (Mauricio), Ric Shumway, Randy Shumway (Maureen), Jesse Shumway (Debi) and Jodi Tolman (Kevin); 22 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
A funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 9565 East Larkspur Drive, Scottsdale, Ariz., with a viewing beginning at 10 a.m. Services will be livestreamed and may be viewed via the following link: zoom.us/j/99961165505. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Janet’s honor to your local Habitat for Humanity.
Messinger Pinnacle Peak Mortuary of Scottsdale, Ariz., is in charge of arrangements.
