Jan Langhurst was one Great Genteel Lady. My first experience with the Langhurst family was when I was 6 years old, living with my Grandparents, George and Rosetta Baker at 537 Dale Ave. The Langhurst lived two doors from us. I was in Miss Day’s first grade class and almost every morning I watched Jim Langhurst walk past our house to attend Willard High School. I adored him and told my mother, Helen Baker Heiser I was going to marry Jim when I grew up ! Needless to say when I learned Jan and Jim married I was crushed! My mother tried to reason with me but to not avail ! As I grew up and married I no longer harbored ill feelings toward Jan !! I taught school in my Home Town of Willard and had Jan and Jim’s relatives in school. Years later when I started to golf at the Willard Country Club Golf Course I had the privilege of getting to know Jan again. In fact we played a match and she beat me by a large margin. The match ended on the 11th or 12th hole but we played through the 15th hole. I was so embarrassed and she knew it. When she recorded the outcome she very graciously did not record the actual amount but put down she had beat me by 1 ! I had loved and respected her but this act of kindness made me realize what a SPECIAL woman she was. She came to Melbourne, Fl. to visit her son last year and we were able to get together. We had a ‘Willard Happy Hour Get-together’ at my daughter’s in Melbourne Beach. In the conversations that evening Jan told us about the many “adventures” she and Jim encountered with his OSU refereeing. Especially the one about the lady friend who had celebrated too much and kept saying: “I’ll drink to that!” even in the middle of the night! This has become a “treasured saying” at our family get-togethers. With many happy memories I will close with this — “I’ll drink to that!” God speed, Jan. I know you are now reunited with YOUR JIM !!! You will still be close to All our hearts!!! I will be at your memorial service in spirit!
