Janis Gail Huyer, born April 25, 1938, the only daughter of Dorothy Eastham and Roland Huyer, left this world peacefully, April 29, 2020, only a few days after her 82nd birthday.

Born during the shadow of the Great Depression, Jan grew up on Chicago’s Northwest side in the Kilbourne Park neighborhood. Her family lived on a tree-lined street that felt more like a suburb than the city, filled with new immigrants in pursuit of the American dream. Her mother’s family had immigrated from England but were recalled for World War I, as her father was pressed into service as a machinist. Her father’s family had come to America from Holland and Germany at the turn of the century, and lived just a few blocks away, operating a candy store on Cicero Avenue.

After they married in 1935, Dorothy and Roland moved into the apartment upstairs from Dorothy’s parents on School Street, and Jan spent her childhood in this home. School Street was abuzz with family and Jan’s cousins were like her siblings. The house was just a few blocks from Scammon Elementary School which she attended through 8th grade.

World War II disrupted the family, and her father enlisted in the Navy in 1943, fighting in France before being discharged in 1945. Dorothy had always worked as a bookkeeper and clerk, and she worked full-time while her husband went off to war, relying on the help of their extended family. Jan spent much time with her grandparents, Jack (John) and Maggie, during this difficult period. 

World War II impacted the family in many ways, and Roland and Dorothy separated shortly after, divorcing amicably. Roland remained a steady influence in Jan’s life, but her primary relationship was with Dorothy. They spent their summers in Lake Geneva, Wis., with Dorothy chronicling their adventures with detailed scrapbooks, filled with memorabilia from their days at the lake.  

Following her mother’s footsteps, Jan entered Schurz High School in the 1950s. High school brought a new level of opportunity, and Jan embraced it wholeheartedly, with many of her lifelong interests and relationships developing there. The Spur and Saddle club provided an outlet for her interest in horses. Her love of drawing and art blossomed in the cartoon club. She participated in many athletic teams including volleyball and tumbling, and was a mentor to younger students, serving on the freshman orientation committee, as well as working as a gym leader, an American Red Cross member, and a lifeguard. She was beautiful and social, and it was in music class where she met her future husband, Wayne Zabin—who she dated casually—before dismissing him completely when he enlisted in the Marines. 

Graduating high school in 1956, Jan left for the University of Illinois in Urbana Champaign to pursue a career in art, but returned after a year, unsure of her path. Not long after, Wayne completed a tour of duty, and again picked up his pursuit of Jan. Persistence paid off and they fell in love. They married November 26, 1960, in Des Plaines, Ill.

They made their first home in Wheeling before moving to suburban Northbrook in 1965. They purchased a ranch house on an acre of land on the scenic Longmeadow Road. A homemaker, Jan built a life with Wayne, sharing her love of horses, Great Danes, art, and antiques. They added on to their home several times and Jan enjoyed the opportunity to cultivate beautiful gardens.

Jan and Wayne entered the horse world with the purchase of a horse from the track called Janey’s Kid. That mare brought them to a stable where they were introduced to American Saddlebreds. Jan and Wayne both took riding lessons and bought their first saddlebred who they called Beau Beau, the first of many horses that would become the focus of their young family life. Saddlebreds are known for their sense of presence and style, as well as for their spirited, yet gentle, temperament. The horses were well suited for the up-and-coming equestrians. 

The arrival of their daughter, Amy Lynn Zabin on July 13, 1967, offered Jan a new purpose, as she focused her life on raising Amy. She volunteered in the classroom and was a fixture in schools and activities, but the focus of their family life revolved around horsemanship. She sat Amy in a saddle around age 4, and together they would go to the barn for lessons during the week. On Sundays the whole family could be found at the stables—training, riding, and enjoying their barn family. 

As Amy’s interest in riding grew, so did their family's, and their lives came to revolve around horse shows. Jan kept this portion of the enterprise moving, planning trips and travel—managing her family on the road as they traveled across the Midwest for competitions. For more than a decade, the Zabin family was a fixture in the saddlebred world. Jan was an accomplished exhibitor, winning many titles with her pleasure horse, Starheart's Big Business and her country pleasure horse, Country Squire, among others. Amy’s success was widely known, and Jan and Wayne took great pride as their too-little-to-be-on-a-big-horse daughter won multiple world and national championships, most notably with her big bay horse, Latin Rhythm.  

The horsemanship era ended around the time that Amy left for Stephens College, and began to develop her adult life. Jan’s marriage to Wayne dissolved, and Jan took the opportunity to focus on some long-overlooked priorities. She returned to her education and earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Barat College in Lake Forest in 1989. At Barat, Jan found kindred spirits in other returning students with whom she had many escapades, and who supported her throughout the years. Jan’s friend, Cindy, was like a sister to her.

She expanded her interest in antiques and art, building upon her treasured finds from her “junking” days with her cousin Barb. As her collections outgrew her own home, she branched out, renting a space in an antique mall and becoming a dealer, buying and selling treasures, and developing some wonderful friendships. 

Amy graduated from Stephens College with a degree in theater, and began a life in Chicago—and Jan embraced Amy’s world and decisions. Amy met David Elledge shortly after college, and early on Jan sensed that they would have a long-term future. She was delighted to officially welcome Dave to their family as the son she had always wanted, November 15, 1991.  

Family and home continued to be a central and essential focus of Jan’s life. While she said goodbye to her father in 1990, she remained close to her mother throughout her life. Her home in Northbrook continued to be the focus of her world. She hosted countless family holidays and celebrations with Amy and Dave’s extended family, providing a welcoming gathering place for special occasions and life events. 

The most eventful moment came when Gwendolyn Marie Elledge arrived in this world on September 7, 1997. From that day forward, Jan defined herself as Gwen’s Grammy, and took an active role in her young life. When Amy returned to work, Jan watched Gwen one day each week, providing childcare and solidifying her important role as grandma. Jan made the most of their time together, touring the Botanic Gardens, museums, and spending time with Dorothy (Gwen’s Gigi). Jan delighted in and fostered Gwen’s love of art—craft projects, drawing, and creativity were a focus of their time together. 

As Gwen entered school, Jan again branched out, volunteering in the community working as a rummage sale volunteer at the Winnetka Congregational Church, where she chaired their garden room for many years. She also volunteered at the Chicago Botanic Garden, working as a chair for the Roadside Flower Sale for many years. Her Wednesday Weeders group would scour the garden for cast-off cuttings and prunings, preserving those materials to take on new lives as artwork in their own right. She developed a special interest in flower petal montages—delicate artwork created with pieces from individual blooms. This spoke to Jan’s love of miniatures, and she introduced this new art form to many of her garden friends. It was painstaking work, creating new beautiful designs using materials that might have been discarded by someone with a less-creative eye. 

Throughout the years, she remained close to her mother and remained at her side until her death in 2009. She rejoiced in the time that the four generations of women had together, each drawing inspiration from the other. She shared her mother’s joy in seeing their legacy in Gwen, who embodies the creative spirit of the generations of women who shaped her, with a logic and aptitude for science. 

Principled, opinionated, creative, and passionate, Jan was at her heart, a collector—who found value in things others might leave behind. A child of the depression, she wasted naught and delighted in the hunt for treasures. She held symbols and momentos dear, and carried in her heart a nostalgia for things past, with a deep appreciation for the present. 

Breast cancer diagnoses in both 2001 and 2013 shaped her world, but did not define her life. She managed her disease with resolve, progressing through surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, fighting every day to live another. She saw important milestones, attending Gwen’s graduation from high school and enjoyed sharing in Gwen’s adventures at the University of Minnesota. She gardened, created, cared for her beloved dogs, and enjoyed her life every day. Her world became smaller over time, but she relished each moment on this earth, sharing in the love of her family and friends to her very last day. 

We honor her with this page, of memories large and small, of moments close and dear. Thank you for taking the time to help us memorialize Jan and the legacy she created. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to:

NorthShore University Health System Foundation – Kellogg Cancer Center

foundation.northshore.org/donatekellogg

or

Tribute Donations to the Chicago Botanic Garden

www.chicagobotanic.org/donate#tribute_donate