Janet Haber

Jan Haber, our beloved wife, mother, and grandmother, died peacefully in her sleep at home in her own bed, on Aug. 28, 2017.
A longtime resident of Pearl River, she was 81. 
Jan was best friend and loving wife of Sheldon, wonderful mother to Leslie, Susannah Devine, and her husband, Don, of Chester, unforgettable grandmother to Devin, Danielle and her husband, Robbie, and a new great-grandmother to year-old Hudson. We miss her terribly. 
Born in Chicago, Jan studied painting at the Art Institute. Over the years, she wrote and illustrated numerous children’s and travel books, created thousands of whimsical and realistic illustrations, designed and carved original wood and linoleum prints, made beaded necklaces, soft sculpture, stained glass windows. We joked that she never met a tool or an artistic medium she did not like. 
Jan was the editor and publisher of the Nyack Villager, the monthly publication celebrating life and the arts in and around the Hudson River Villages. She co-founded Hand of the Craftsman, a nationally known gallery of contemporary American craft, in Nyack.
A Renaissance woman, she was excellent at painting, editing, writing, sewing, baking, and cooking. Yet she always seemed to have plenty of time to bring up happy, loving children and to make her husband the happiest man who ever lived. 
A few days before she passed away, Jan asked if we could drive her to the Hudson River. She wanted to see the blue and green of the Hudson and the old battered barge, watched over by a white heron. 
If you knew Jan, we ask that you please feed some wild birds, plant a flower or hug a family member, friend or stranger, in her memory. If you’d like to send the family an anecdote about Jan, please send to info@NyackVillager.com. 
A celebration of her life and work will be scheduled soon. Please let us know if you’d like the details.