Janice (Jan) Barron Elston

Janice (Jan) Barron Elston, 84, of Pampa, died February 23, 2016 in Amarillo. Memorial services will be at 11:00 AM Friday, February 26, 2016, at Carmichael-Whatley Colonial Chapel, with Rev. Lonny Robbins, officiating. Cremation and arrangements are under the direction of Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors. Jan was born September 12, 1931 in Lamesa to John N. and Mildred Barron. She was reared in Lamesa and graduated from Texas Tech University in Lubbock in 1954. She taught school in Sunray and Houston. Since 1986, she served as a volunteer tutor in the Pampa Adult Literacy Program, and also served as a tutor trainer, teaching literacy tutor workshops in several towns in the Panhandle. Since 1966, Jan was a volunteer with the Tri-State Golf Association tournament. She was past president of several medical auxiliaries, including Top O’ Texas, Hutchinson County and Gray County Medical Auxiliaries. For several years, she served on the board of directors of the Pampa area Literacy Council and the Friends of the Library with Lovett Memorial Library, and was on the board of directors of the Jordan Chapel Builders. Jan was a charter member of Trinity Fellowship, volunteering each Thursday at Harvest House, Trinity’s food outreach center. Since 1995, she served as a volunteer counselor with Mike Barber Prison Ministries, going to women’s prisons in Texas and Oklahoma. One of her favorite hobbies was bird watching, and she shared that interest with others in a column she wrote entitled “Panhandle Bird Watch” which appeared for several years in The Pampa News. During the past few years, she occasionally taught birding classes at Clarendon College, Pampa Campus. She married Frederick A. Elston, MD, who preceded her in death on September 22, 1994. She was also preceded in death by her daughter-in-law, Martha Elston on February 6, 2005. Survivors include a son, Dr. Steve Elston of Marysville, Missouri; three grandchildren, Melissa Elston of Marysville, Missouri, Mark Elston of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Angela Elston of Odessa; her sister, Sue Kerley of Meridian; a niece, Lucinda Kerley and her husband, Toby DeMoss of Morrison, Colorado; 2 nephews, Tom Kerley and wife Karyn of San Diego, California, and Mack Elston, III of Lubbock; a niece, Julie Elston of Lubbock; her God-daughter, Lisa Taber of Arlington; and a number of cousins. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to Trinity Fellowship Church, PO Box 2929, Pampa, Texas 79066-2929; to Mike Barber Prison Ministries, PO Box 1086, De Soto, Texas 75125-1086; or a charity of choice.