She completed her Bachelors degree in French from the University of Oregon in 1964 and moved east to Connecticut for her first job, teaching French at the high school in Norwalk. It was there she met pharmacist Scott Elliot. The two were married in 1967 and had two sons, Sean and Collin. Scott died due to complications of juvenile diabetes in 1969 leaving Janis a single mother 3,000 miles from home.
She tackled single motherhood with the same determination for which she would be known throughout her life. She met and married Peter Wotton when the two met working in the Religious Education program at the Westport Unitarian Church. The family moved to Waterbury where Peter was an administrator at the local hospital and Janis started working for the state of Connecticut’s social services department. While in Waterbury she completed her Masers in Social Work at the University of Connecticut.
On a trip home to Oregon in 1976 she decided it was time to move her family back to her home state and spent the next three years making that happen. In 1979 the familiy moved to Eugene, Oregon where Janis took a job working for the state Children’s Services Division.
Both in Eugene and back in Connecticut Janis was always reaching out to young women in need of love and support. She had countless unofficially adopted daughters over the years whom she helped get back on their feet, find their purpose and move into adulthood. Her sons benefited from the constant contact with older “sisters” who also provided frequent child care.
She complete her PhD form Oregon State University in 1996, completing a rare feat of being both an Oregon Duck and and Oregon State Beaver, though her athletic loyalties remained steadfast with the Ducks.
In 1987 she met the love her of life, Patti Pomerantz. The two were married at First Unitarian Church in Portland in 1995 and later renewed the union in a legal ceremony in Canada. Shortly after both Sean and Collin were out of high school in Eugene, Janis and Patti moved to Portland to be closer to Janis’ parents Edna and Owen Sabin.
Over the years she served her local church, district and continental Unitarian Universalist Association in many capacities, most recently as a member of the board of Meadville Lombard Theological School.
Janis will be remembered for her wisdom, warmth, hospitality, and for her passionate dedication to justice and a life of service. She is survived by her partner, The Reverend Patti Pomerantz, her brother Wayne(Shirley) and sister Phyllis(Allen) and their families, her children Sean (Melanie) and Collin (Mana), and grandchildren Patrick and Kaitlyn.
Her legacy will live-on through her children, her grandchildren and the countless young men and women who’s lives she influenced through her support, mentoring and care both in her professional life as a teacher and social worker as well as though her work with Young Religious Unitarian Universalist youth groups throughout the northwest and beyond.
A Celebration of life will be held on Sunday July 31, 2011 at 2:00pm, at the First Unitarian Church 1011 SW 12th Ave Portland, OR 97205
In lieu of flowers please donate to the Janis Elliot Fund for Children and Youth at risk. Donations may be made by contacting Cameron Archibald at the Unitarian Universalist Association at (617)948-4655.
Arrangements by Autumn Funerals, Cremation & Burial, Tigard, Oregon.
