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Beloved wife, mother and “Gaga”, Janet Southwick O’Rourke, passed away on Tuesday, June 6, 2023 at Saint Luke’s Hospital after an unexpected health emergency.
Jan was born on May 9, 1943 in Findlay, OH to parents & musicians Richard and Margaret Southwick. After graduating from Needham Broughton High School in Raleigh, NC, she attended the Oberlin Conservatory of Music on a full scholarship, where she earned her Bachelor of Music in Trumpet Performance with a Piano Performance Minor. After college, she received a full scholarship to attend the Cleveland Institute of Music, where she received her Master of Music in Trumpet Performance. During this time, she had the opportunity to play with the world-famous Cleveland Orchestra.
After graduation, she accepted a position teaching music at Hawken School in Lyndhurst, OH, where she met her future husband, Tom O’Rourke. They began dating in 1968 and were married on June 20, 1970, welcoming daughters Laura and Julie in the following years.
Overland Park, KS became their permanent home in 1978. Jan became involved in the local chapter of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) and the Kansas City Musical Club, where she served a term as President. She was also very involved in her daughters’ schools, serving as President of the PTA at Nall Hills Elementary School and later serving with her husband as Presidents of both the Shawnee Mission South High School Band and Orchestra Boosters.
Jan taught private piano lessons and served as an accompanist for many high school and community musical theater productions, including Theatre in the Park, where she was awarded the Founders Award in 2002. In addition, she accompanied multiple students for high school solo & ensemble music contests.
A birthday cake decorating class would launch a business that would thrive for the next four decades. But perhaps her favorite role later in life was as a doting “Gaga” to her twin granddaughters. Jan was unconditionally kind, gracious, caring and supportive. She was a loyal friend, and like a surrogate mother, loved by many. Her mega-watt smile, her wicked wit, infectious laugh and her ability to light up a room will be sorely missed. Jan was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her husband of 53 years, Tom, daughters Laura VanLeeuwen (Dave) of Overland Park, KS and Julie Kaul (Danny) of Olathe, KS and granddaughters Alexandra & Megan. She is also survived by Julia Southwick of Raleigh, NC.
Visitation will be held from 4:30-7 p.m. on Monday, July 10, at Cure of Ars Church (9401 Mission Rd, Leawood, KS 66206). A celebration of Jan’s life will be on Tuesday, July 11 at 2:00 p.m. also at Cure of Ars, immediately followed by a reception at Tomahawk Ridge Community Center (11902 Lowell Ave, OP, KS). In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Jan O’Rourke Memorial Fund to benefit aspiring musicians and educators. Donations may be sent in care of Johnson County Funeral Chapel (11200 Metcalf Ave, OP, KS 66210). https://www.johnsoncountychapel.com/obituaries/jan-orourke
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Ann Bennett (Rogers)
Jan and her parents moved to Raleigh when we were in junior high school. Who could miss noticing the pretty bottle-blonde girl with the hourglass figure, big smile, infectious laugh, and amazing talent on her trumpet!
Jan and I were close friends in high school, and spent much time hanging around the band room, attending MYF meetings and beach trips, and giggling about boys at sleepovers. I remember her beautiful lavender bedroom! I was always in awe of her amazing ability to play her trumpet and the piano. Plus, she was just so much FUN! She was the only person I knew who had perfect pitch. I remember once when our MYF group went to a rest home to sing Christmas Carols, and Jan (our accompanist) could not play their piano since it wasn’t tuned properly, and a “C” was NOT a “C”!
We played Beethoven’s Leonore Overture No. 3 one year at All-State Orchestra, and Jan had to walk off the stage in the middle of the piece to play the off-stage trumpet solo. We laughed that the audience didn’t know what was happening until they heard her solo coming from the wings!
Jan and I stayed in touch over the years, and I got to see her a few times when she came to Raleigh to visit her dad. We corresponded at Christmas, so I was able to keep up with her talented family. Learning of her passing gave me a real gut-punch, since she was so active until her final days.
Jan, thanks for the memories.
Charles Winton
If memory serves me correctly, I first met Jan in the 8th grade when she started at Daniels. At that time she was a cute brunette. Her father was our new band director. I had started playing French Horn in the 7th grade, taking lessons from the previous director, Mr. Barnes, who was noted for the great band program he had built at Broughton. We were not happy to hear Mr. Barnes was leaving for a collegiate position, however, he introduced us to Mr. Southwick at the end of our 7th grade year to ensure a smooth transition. We only found out later Mr. Southwick had a daughter who was already a gifted musician.
Jan pretty much demonstrated right off she was a brilliant trumpet player. I know being in a band with her kind of talent pushed me to up my game as well. I was never sure why she chose trumpet as her instrument, but suspect Mr. Southwick only grudgingly approved. Jan's mother was an excellent pianist who accompanied students at the State Solo and Ensemble contest so hers was a very musical family. In the 9th grade Jan showed up as a blonde, immediately sending us guys ga ga. Later at Broughton we interacted a lot since we were the first chairs for our respective sections. That also meant we were selected for things like the all state band, all state orchestra, and solo and ensemble contests. Those were good times we shared and among my favorite memories from my time at Broughton.
We went our separate ways after graduation, but reconnected during a couple of Summers when she was home, playing gigs in groups Mr. Southwick had organized. I remember sitting next to her in one of those where we joked a lot about our time at Broughton and the guys she was dating. She was at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and was already subbing with the Cleveland Symphony, an indicator of just how talented she was.
While I am saddened by her sudden passing, I cherish the memories of all the good times we experienced during our time together at Daniels and Broughton.
Virginia (Ginger) Brown (Horton)
Jan and I were friends when we attended Wiley Elementary School in Salisbury, NC in 2nd and 3rd grade. Her dad was the band director at Boyden High School which was across from where I lived then. I was the "fitting person" they used when the high school band had a majorette (mini size) made for her as a mascot for the band. We left Salisbury before the 4th grade and moved to Raleigh. Imagine my surprise when the counselor at Daniels brought a new student to our classroom and it was Jan.
Ann Bennett (Rogers)
Ginger, I'll bet this is the outfit you helped with fittings!
Jackie (Jacquelyn) Logan
I'm sad to hear of Jan's death... but glad for her and her family that she didn't have a lengthy illness. I remember Jan's liveliness and glowing smile. Believe all of us would immediately think " trumpet " when remembering her. She was amazingly talented! ... outstanding!! My thoughts and prayers are with her family and close friends.
Virginia (Ginger) Brown (Horton)
That's the one, Ann!
Larry Lovvorn
I was in the NBHS Marching and Symphonic Band with Jan. During early in our Junior Year, on a dare from Jimmy Carper and Tommy Lambert, I asked Jan out for a date. Imagine my surprise when she accepted and thus began a high school romance that last almost a year. Needless to say, her Dad was not very excited about our dating but politely tolerated my presemce. I would thumb from my house on Runnymede Road (Coley Forest) over to her house, We would enjoy our time together and she would take me home as she was 6 months older and had her driver's license. We thoroughly enjoyed our times together. During the summer after our Junior year I worked on a ranch in Nebraska for the summer. When I got back she had a change in heart so we stopped dating. I was kinda suprisd but accepted it. I was always amazed by her musical talents and felt she far exceeded any skills I had. I believe her Dad did not feel I had the same committment to musical achievements as he wanted for her, and he was correct. But that did not seem to influence her and our Junior year was enjoyable for both of us. I am glad she had a successful life as a musican, wife, mother nad grandmother and know she has graduated to the orchestra above,
Larry Lovvorn
An Amendment to the above
On refiection I did have my drivers license but we only had one car, thus me thumbing over to Jan's house on occasion So we had many dates on the one car the Lovvorn's had and had many fun dates during the Junior Year. Pleasant memories.