RIP my wonderful friend Jan Mortimer

[Lindus Edwards]

It is with a very heavy heart that I report the passing of Jan Mortimer. She passed away peacefully this morning as reported by her husband Jim to Mac Banks. The checker-playing world has lost one of its greatest supporters and I have lost my most precious and wonderful friend. Her memory will live as long as the game of checkers exists. I will report more as I hear. I cannot continue here as I am heartbroken beyond words. RIP my dear, wonderful friend.

[chipschap]

There are no words for this, nothing we can say to mitigate this terrible loss.

I knew Jan only by phone and online, and now that will be all there will ever be.

May she rest in peace. The world has lost a beautiful person.

[Irma Sierra]

Now she wont feel any more pain....Rest in Peace our dear Jan!!
Will pray for you Lindus and her family for resignation.....
This is really sad.....

[wilmaw]

Jan was a wonderful friend to me. Although we were half a world away from each other, we kept in touch through the Internet. I enjoyed playing IYT games with her. It was all right that she beat me most of the time. She was so good. I think if she had lived, she could have become Women's World Champion. She is with Jesus now and my hope is to meet her again. Dear, dear Jan.

[George Hay]

My sincere condolences to Jim and the Mortimer Family. Rest in peace, Jan Mortimer. Her kiwinurse posts on
the ACF Forum will be sadly missed. I consider it a privilege to have corresponded with her on this forum.

--George Hay

[liam stephens]

Jan was a wonderful person and friend. She was also so brave and I never once heard her complain about her illness.
We always looked forward to her visits to Ireland and Britain, she was a great competitor in every event she entered.
Our deepest sympathy to Jim and family members on their sad loss.
Farewell dear friend - rest in peace.

Liam Stephens.

[ae_ted]

She was a long time friend. I am saddened beyond words. She is with Jesus and my prayers are for the family in this time of loss.

[kim willis 57]

I am very saddened to hear this. For jan and I always had good times when we were at tournaments. Jan now is the time to rest and may you rest in peace. And as many said you will be missed.

Kim Willis

[Mac Banks]

I am so sorry about the passing of my dear friend Jan Mortimer this past Sunday. When her husband Jim called me from New Zealand and told me the news, both of us were struggling
for words with both of us fighting back the tears.. I met Jan on the internet about 20 years ago and played her many mail games over that stretch. I learned very quickly that she was one of the nicest ladies I have ever met and I was so delighted to meet her in person at a National checker tourney in Las Vegas about 12 years ago. Talking to Jan about checkers, life and about New Zealand was very rewarding. I invited Jan as well as Kim Willis to Las Vegas famous Italian "Bootlegger" restaurant with my wife , Joyce. The evening was delightful. Jan is everything, my good friend, Lindus Edwards said in his post. Jan promoted checkers in New England like no other! She went to the schools to teach checkers to the youngster and always used her own money to promote checkers and spent a great deal of time and patience teaching these
youngsters. One of Jan's biggest dreams was to hold the 2016 checker Qualifier in New Zealand.
Even after her doctors told her she had cancer in every bone, tissue, brain and most of her organs
she would call me on Skype and asked me to help her with this promotion. Jan never complained about her unfortunate luck to just have a few months to live and was more concerned about an injury to my knee that was not serious. Yes, that was Jan! She was much more concerned about her fellow man than even herself. She was quite a woman and certainly will never be forgotten by me and all the friends that knew her! RIP Jan. Your dear friend , Mac Banks

[Ingo_Zachos]

My thoughts are with her family. A great supporter of our game and a friend of mine has passed away. May she rest in peace.

[Mac Banks]

In my earlier post about Jan, I meant New Zealand and not New England.

[S_McCosker]

R.I.P Jan a wonderful person and a delight to grace any checkers tournament with her presence.

[Bill Salot]

This is another comment from Ireland, sent to me yesterday:

Hi Bill,
I read the sad news to day of the death of my checkers friend, Jan Mortimer. I had the honour of refereeing a match between Jan and Patricia Breen in Limerick, Ireland about ten years ago for the world title and I was impressed by her play and the calmness with which she approached every game in a country thousands of miles from her home. I shall always remember her as a lovely lady who will be sadly missed by the checker world. May she rest in Peace.

Jim Somers

[JR Smith]

Here is a link to Jan Mortimer Obituary on NCCA & The Southern Times (link embedded)
http://nccheckers.org/NCCA/7-26-2015%20 ... rtimer.htm

[Danny_Alvarez]

Jan was a very good friend and a great checkers player and promoter....
I hope that one day we can bring a qualifier to the southern hemisphere .
Checkers has lost a wonderful lover of the game.
Unlike you guys, I never had the pleasure of meeting Jan.... we attempted an Aussie Open,
and when I had planned to go to the NZ Open it got cancelled....
But I have chatted with her over the phone and on the internet for decades ....
May she rest in peace and I pass my condolences to Jim and all others who loved Jan and her checkers work.