An Easter Day Tribute

Nate & I had a wonderful day today. It was emotional, memorable & thought provoking for many reasons -- the talks, the music, singing with the kids in primary, being with family, but mostly realizing how grateful we are for the blessings of the resurrection of our Savior. For the knowledge that we will all die one day, but live again. This fact was impressed into our conscious mind more than ever today. There are many hard things that we experience in life, but maybe the hardest of all is the death of a loved one, especially a spouse. Our friend Randy Jackman was on our minds as he has been since March 31st. How our hearts have broken for him & his children. It has taken me more than a week to write my first dated entry to this blog because I have not been able to gather myself together emotionally to do so because of the death of Randy's wife and my dear, dear friend Janin. She died March 31, 2009 unexpectedly.

It came as a shock to us & to really... everyone who knew her. Nate & I had our first opportunity to meet Janin & Randy at a game night at our sister/brother in laws home way back 25 years ago. Though they were 6-10 years older than us, it never really seemed to make a difference. We hit it off immediately at that party so when we moved to the Rose Park 4th Ward in 1988 our friendship just continued to grow. Through the years she & I worked in two presidencies together & the guys worked side by side in the Bishopric. We have celebrated several birthdays & anniversaries together, trips to the temple, countless dinners & movies, boating & snowmobiling, but the one event that is most memorable & will probably never be the same is our annual trip to Lake Powell. It will definitely not be the same without her.

Janin was a beautiful person both inside & out. She was fun, funny & full of surprises which made her endearing to all who knew her. She had a genuinely good spirit that showed through in whatever she was doing. I admired her for so many reason -- her dedication to the gospel of Jesus Christ & the way she fulfilled her callings. Her sunny disposition, quick wit, endless energy, her organization of daily lists & her ability to be a true friend to all. I could make a list of 100 reasons why I admire her & then some. Though I considered her to be one of my very best friends, I realize I was not alone in that thought. I'm sure 100's of people thought Janin was their best friend -- that is what kind of a person she was and is. A perfect example of never having too many friends. You just wanted to be around her & hoped that the optimism would rub off onto you. And usually, it did.

Janin had a huge amount of drive. If she really wanted to do something, she would do it. Once she spent 3 months on Powell running the houseboat mostly on her own. Is that unbelievable or what? I could never do that. Really, how many women could? But she did & had a blast doing it. She just knew how to live life to the fullest & in so doing lived without regret. I remember... how she loved Palm Sunday and enjoyed when you remembered & mentioned it to her. Her quirky ways when she called on the phone saying "this is Janin Jackman"... always saying her last name like you had no idea who it was. She always had so much faith in Randy. When we worked in the primary presidency together, how she would volunteer Randy's services. Often when we would have a project that needed to be put together she would volunteer & say "Randy can do that" even though he was serving as Bishop and probably really didn't have the time, but he always made time for her. When we would play tennis together she was relentless. I would think to myself "she'll never return this one", but she was always there to prove me wrong. She rarely missed the ball -- it drove my competitive self crazy! She would just laugh at me & at my efforts to beat her.

I can see her shaking knee while sitting on the stand waiting for her turn to give a talk. If you sat next to her, you were bound to get nervous too having that crazy knee going a hundred miles an hour! (She always knew how to include everyone.) Janin had this ability to get her way by asking questions. For example, often at Powell she would say "do you think..." or "I wonder if..." or "would you like to tighten the ropes now or after lunch", always giving us "a choice" to get done what was on her To Do list. She really in many ways was my polar opposite. Years ago when I had shorter hair she nick-named me Princess Di. Meaning... I was the high maintenance one & she the one that was content with the simple things of life. It was never a question, she would take a tent & I would take the hotel room. I also shared with her once when I was young I was too shy to correct people when they pronounced my name "Diana", so how perfect to put the pun together now for me in Princess Di. She just knew how to get to you --especially in a memorable way.

Once when I was having morning sickness Nate took the kids trick or treating while Janin stayed with me multi-tasking. She made sure I had a clean bucket by my side & fed me an Insure drink (which she would occasionally offer me through the years as a joke) & then did our laundry in between stops at the front door handing out candy to the neighborhood kids. I remember her laughing wondering what some of the kids were thinking when they had just barely been to her house where she handed out candy, too. It was also that same night that we promised each other that when we grew old we would hold each others drool cups. Though we would laugh about that, in some ways we assumed that it really would happen & without a doubt would be there for each other. Now, as crazy as it sounds, I feel sorry for myself, really selfish of myself, in her loss to say how mad I am at her for not keeping her promise... but I know she would, if she could. There are so many other experiences that are imprinted in my mind of those blessed moments I had with her, and none more apparent now than in the memories made just a week & a half before she left us for her heavenly home when the four of us were at Lake Powell together. If only I had known...

My mother once said after the death of my father, "that life is just never quite as much fun". Now I feel that is a part of me as well. Janin has uniquely blessed my life & I will never be the same because of her. Good bye Janin -- for a time. It will seem so very long to me, to Nate & to our girls, but we know that there is a reason. There has to be... No doubt you are needed elsewhere because of your faithfulness to the cause of truth. Your unconditional love is needed, your happy smile & ability to see the bright side of things & to understand others. Qualities we are all still trying to learn. Through you I have a greater understanding of life after death & a deeper appreciation for our Savior and His gift to all. Thank you Janin, my forever cherished friend.

Obituary: L. Janin Briggs Jackman 1956 ~ 2009 The world's best wife, mother, grandmother and friend left for her final great adventure March 31, 2009. Born Oct. 14, 1956 in Jerome, Idaho to Gail Lamar Briggs and Laura Pearl Hansen Briggs. Janin joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a teen while attending West High School. She married Randy Argyle Jackman in the Salt Lake Temple June 24, 1975. Her greatest joys in life were summers at Lake Powell, spending time with her grandkids, traveling, books on tape and sneaking chocolate treats. She was a genuine friend to all. Her time was spent serving the Lord, both in numerous church callings and by lifting the souls of those who needed it. She was selfless and found joy in the simple things in life. Never bought what she could make or borrow, never kept what she could give away. Janin never missed an event. She was there for EVERY birthday, graduation, wedding, sporting event and party. She was the greatest fan and loudest cheerleader. She had an amazing sense of humor which kept everyone laughing at all times. She was young in heart, spirit and body. Janin is survived by her loving husband Randy A. Jackman -Lake Point, children Emily J. Finlinson (Jason)-Lehi, Aaron R. Jackman (Sarah), West Point, Claar J. Runyan (Michael) South Jordan, 7.5 grandchildren, her mother, sisters-Randa Briggs, Elise Sanders and Tracy Briggs Haynes. A viewing will be held Sunday, April 5, 2009 from 6-8 p.m. at Larkin Mortuary 260 E. South Temple, SLC UT and Monday, April 6, 2009 from 9:45-10:45 a.m. at the Stansbury Park LDS Stake Center, 417 E Benson Road, Stansbury, UT. Funeral will begin at 11:00. Interment to follow at the Lake Point Cemetery. Online condolences to www.larkincares.com