On August 30th, Jan Orme died

after a fierce battle with Alzheimer’s. For

someone with such a quick wit and mind,

this diagnosis was particularly painful.

Born in Salt Lake City to Beth

and Howard Price in 1942, she was

predeceased by her brother Douglas

and is survived by her sister Diane. She

attended the University of Utah for her

B.A. in History and French and taught at

Olympus High before moving to Seattle

in 1967. While working on a Masters and

teaching at Jane Addams Middle School,

she married Burton M. Orme in 1969 in the L.D.S. temple

in Logan, Utah. Together they made a life on Mercer

Island having two daughters Leslie and Michelle. Jan

and Burt were married 51 years spending many of those

traveling the world together. A devoted mom, Jan was

there at every moment in her daughters lives, ready to

help with a school project from making Santa costumes to

volcanoes that blew real Mt. St. Helens ash. Later in life,

that devotion grew to include her two grandsons, Cyrus

and Austin, who knew grandma could be counted on for

a treat or a life skill like how to shoot the paper on straws

across the dinner table at a restaurant.

Jan loved teaching teenagers, whether she was longterm

subbing at Mercer Island High School or taking a

group of teens to Europe for the summer to

study. A lesson about Napoleon might be

delivered for over an hour on her knees or

over an intense game of spoons on the train.

She knew how to reach students and connect

with them. “She changed my life and how

I saw the world” has been something her

family has heard multiple times since her

passing. It should be noted however, that she

wasn’t above threatening to boo at a student’s

graduation if they misbehaved in her class.

Jan traveled extensively, hitting six out

of seven continents. She especially loved

Paris, Istanbul, India and China. But her heart was in

Switzerland and she returned to it around ten times in

her life to hike in the Alps. Jan was especially proud of the

Swiss trip she took with her friend Judy Hammar who had

just finished treatment for cancer.

Jan loved her friends and the time they spent together

talking and laughing. Whether you were a friend or

family, Jan showed her devotion by her willingness to drop

everything to help you and entertain you along the way.

She will be deeply missed.

A memorial service webcast will be held online

September 26, 2020 at 12:30 pm through Sunset Hills

Mortuary in Bellevue. In lieu of flowers, the family asks

that you make a donation to Cure Alzheimer’s Fund.