Janis Durr

Janis Durr was born on September 30, 1951 in Erie, PA, the second of six children born to Gwendolyn Lamar Durr and Zachariah Durr. From the start, Janis was a quiet force wise, kind, and deeply thoughtful. She had a sharp mind, creative soul, and a heart that saw and cared for everyone, especially those most in need of love and patience.

Janis devoted much of her life to her family. She was a faithful daughter, a loving sister, and an aunt who made each of her nieces and nephews feel seen, safe, and special. Her calm presence was often the anchor in the storm, and her care for others was unwavering.

Professionally, Janis dedicated 39 years to St. Martin’s Early Learning Center, where she was not only an early childhood educator, but a fierce advocate for her students. She was an avid reader and she insisted that every child be introduced to the magic of books, the joy of fresh fruit, and the excitement of learning about the world around them. She saw their potential, and through her steady, patient care, she helped them begin to see it too.

Outside the classroom, Janis expressed her creativity through many hobbies: she was a gifted crocheter, often making crocheted dolls for her family and her students. She also had a talent for reupholstering furniture, giving old things new life with her hands and her vision. Taking after her mother, Janis had a love and knack for gardening. She enjoyed soul food, good music, Westerns, and family vacations to the beach. She was also passionate about genealogy, preserving her family’s story and history with care and reverence.

Janis’ life was one of quiet impact and was measured not in accolades but in the thousands of lives she touched with her compassion, creativity, and presence. She was a steady light, and her legacy will continue through every child she taught, every story she preserved, and every act of love passed down in her name.

Though Janis faced significant health challenges later in life, she met them with grace. Her strength never drew attention to itself, it just showed up, day after day, in her quiet resilience and her deep love for those around her. In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her brother Zachariah Durr Jr, and her best friend Rosetta Manus. She is survived by her beloved sisters Marrion Durr, Bonita Durr-McNeill, Catherine Durr, brother Gregory Durr I, nieces and nephews Anita Durr, Darien Durr, Ashleigh Durr (Jason Johnson), Ashford Norton, Gregory Durr II (Massar), Jasmine Durr, Ryan McNeill, special cousin Wardell Durr and extended family who will cherish her memory and strive to carry forward her kindness.

Friends are invited to call on the family Saturday, June 14, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the Funeral Service at 12:00 at Shiloh Baptist Church, 901 East 5th Street, Erie, PA 16507. Burial will follow in Lakeside Cemetery. Arrangements are entrusted to Burton Quinn Scott Cremation & Funeral Service Inc. Downtown, 602 W. 10th Street, Erie.

Send condolences to: www.BurtonQuinnScott.com