Janice Logan

Janice Taylor Logan, 79, peacefully passed away on September 3, 2026, surrounded by the family she loved so deeply—and spoke of so proudly to just about anyone who would listen.

Born June 16, 1947, in Owensboro, Kentucky, Janice was the daughter of the late A.C. and Mildred Turner Taylor. Though life took her many places, Kentucky never really stopped being home. She spoke often and fondly of her “Old Kentucky Home,” of Pleasant Ridge, and of the people, traditions, and memories that shaped her there.

Jan devoted much of her life to education. As an elementary school teacher, reading specialist, and educational consultant, she shared her love of learning not only with children, but also with fellow educators. A lifelong learner herself, she earned two graduate degrees and believed deeply that every child was worth investing in—especially those who needed a little more time, encouragement, and someone willing to believe in them.

Her faith was a steady and important part of her life. While living in Hattiesburg, Jan was a member of University Baptist Church, where she especially treasured the friendships she made in the Love Class Sunday School. But Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church, in the little Kentucky community where she grew up, would always be her home church.

Service was another way Jan taught by example. During her years in Hattiesburg, she was active in Junior Auxiliary and brought her daughters along to deliver Meals on Wheels, teaching them early that loving people meant showing up for them. As PTA president at Oak Grove High School, she helped lead a successful community fundraising campaign at Hub City Roller Rink to bring much-needed air-conditioning to the school.

Jan had a gift for nurturing things—children, friendships, family traditions, and even the occasional plant that everyone else had given up on. She made a mean coconut cake and chess pie, loved antiques and family heirlooms, and never passed up a good story. She even enjoyed a brief acting career, appearing as an extra in a rock video and later in a church scene in The Devil All the Time, starring Robert Pattinson and Tom Holland. Naturally, becoming a movie star, however briefly, simply gave her one more story worth telling.

But nothing brought Jan greater joy—or gave her more material for conversation—than her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She made certain from the beginning that everyone knew her proper title was “GranJan.” Maggie, Jane, Lily, Avery, Jacob, Cassie, and Liam were among the greatest treasures of her life, and she delighted in their personalities, adventures, and accomplishments. She leaves them family traditions to carry forward, stories to retell, sayings they will hear in her voice for years to come, heirlooms to cherish, and, most importantly, the certainty that they were loved beyond measure.

That same spirit of service remained with Jan throughout her life. She was generous with her time, encouragement, and resources, whether helping a neighbor, supporting one of her grandchildren’s dreams, or volunteering to participate in research aimed at advancing the understanding and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Even in death, her service continues through the donation of her brain to medical research—a final gift from a woman who spent her life learning, teaching, encouraging, and helping others.

Jan is survived by her daughters, Kristen Sepesi of Watkinsville, Georgia, and Jennifer (Andy) Beck of Birmingham, Alabama; her brothers, Alan Taylor and Linny Taylor; her grandchildren, Maggie (Jarvis) Blanks, Jane Beck, Lily Beck, Avery Sepesi, and Jacob Sepesi; and her great-grandchildren, Cassie Blanks and Liam Blanks.

A private family memorial will be held at a later date in Alabama.

Those wishing to honor Jan’s memory are invited to make a tribute gift in memory of Janice Logan at the following link in support of Alzheimer’s research—a fitting continuation of her own commitment to advancing the understanding and treatment of the disease.

https://alzfdn.org/donate/