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Janet Lynn Weaver, 78, passed away on Monday, March 20, 2023, at Carilion Rockbridge Community Hospital.
She was born in Lexington on Oct. 31, 1944, to the late Clara Erdman Weaver and Robert Bower Weaver. She was also preceded in death by her sister, Anne Weaver Owen.
She is survived by her brother, Robert Bower Weaver Jr. (Janice Ruble Weaver); their children, Thomas Stone Weaver and Erin Weaver Eacho (Shannon Eacho); and Erin’s daughter Brittany Alexandra Thompson.
Janet is also survived by Anne’s husband, Col. John Robert Owen (retired); Janet’s nephew George Robert Ax Jr. (Cathleen Farley Ax), their children, Geoffrey Breden Ax, Louise Lam Ax, and Hannah Chase Ax; and nephew David Taylor Ax (Susan Pearce Ax) and their children, Michael Cooper Ax and Emery Holiday Ax.
Janet was a loving, caring, and generous person, and she had many talents. After graduating from Lexington High School, she attended Mary Baldwin College (A.B. Art, 1966). She spent her junior year at the lnstitut d’Etudes Europeennes & Ecole du Louvre in Paris, France. Additional art instruction was received from her mother, a watercolorist and 1930s fashion illustrator; the Art Students’ League and Parsons School of Design in New York City; and Studio Eleven in Lexington.
Janet retired to Lexington where she participated as an artist and webmaster at the Nelson Fine Arts Gallery. Her works in oil and digital photographic design were displayed at various shows in Lexington, as well as Rockbridge and Bath counties, winning awards for her oils.
Most of Janet’s professional life was spent in New York City. There, she received a J.D. degree from New York University and was the second female attorney hired at the prestigious law firm Cravath, Swaine, and Moore. The focus of her work was estate planning. She eventually moved to part time and attended the Union Theological Seminary, earning a Master of Divinity degree. She was a published author in the field of theology.
Janet enjoyed travel and before returning to Lexington traveled widely in the United States, Europe, India, Australia, and the South Pacific. She lived in Australia for a time. She served in the AmeriCorps VISTA National service program to alleviate poverty. After returning to Lexington, she worked as an independent estate planning attorney.
Beyond her love of art, one of her favorite activities was an annual trip to Virginia Beach and, later, Cape Hatteras with her family. Janet also enjoyed picnics at Jump Mountain Hunt Club, reading and being with friends. Janet’s family and friends will miss her very much. We loved her and were very proud of her accomplishments.
A memorial service for Janet will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to the ConnectionsPlus Healthcare +Hospice, 315 Myers St., Lexington, VA 24450.
Arrangements are by Harrison Funeral Home & Crematory.
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