Gjw "Jan" Kor

GJW (Jan) Kor died peacefully in his sleep at his home in the Regency in Canton, OH on Feb 12, 2022. He was 93 years old. Gerrit Jan Wolter Kor was born on Nov 16, 1928 in Indonesia to Janny Langenberg (d) and Wouter (d) Kor, who worked in the sugar cane business in what was then a Dutch colony. Seven years later Jan's little brother, Wout (d), was born. During WWII the family was separated and put into Japanese internment camps. Fortunately, they all survived this experience and after the war sailed back home to the Netherlands. Despite the difficult war years, Jan had fond memories of his childhood in Indonesia. He remembered seeing a volcano erupt and he maintained a lifelong appreciation for Indonesian cuisine. Decades later, during retirement, he was able to return and visit familiar places. Back in Holland, Jan excelled as a student and attended Delft University of Technology where he obtained a degree in Physics. He went on to achieve a PhD in Metallurgy at the Royal School of Mines in the UK. On May 30,1959 Jan married Marianne Bronsing (d). They moved to Santpoort, Netherlands and began a family. The next decade was busy for Jan, working at the Dutch steel company Hoogovens and raising a family of four children. In 1968 Jan and Marianne made the big decision to emigrate to Pittsburgh, PA, where Jan took a job at the US Steel research plant. Jan and Marianne lived the American dream in Pittsburgh, buying a home on a cul-de-sac, driving a Ford Station Wagon, mowing the expansive backyard, attending the symphony, going to the big American grocery stores, enrolling their kids in swimming, piano, and dance lessons, and later sending them off to university to begin their own lives. They joined the local Dutch Club and the bridge club. Jan eventually achieved Gold Life Master status in Bridge. An avid tennis player for decades, he played well into his '70's. He also enjoyed many hiking trips with his kids in rural corners of PA. He made sure that his family stayed in touch with its Dutch roots by planning frequent summer vacations back to Holland. Much family lore and lasting memories were established during these vacations, especially on visits to a family home in Oetz, Austria, a village nestled in the Alps where many epic hiking adventures occurred. After nearly two decades with US Steel, Jan took a new position with Timken Steel and he and Marianne moved to Canton, OH in 1986. There they bought a spacious ranch-style house surrounded by trees and a beautiful garden and enjoyed a more leisurely pace of life. They traveled frequently both nationally and internationally, often visiting with their kids who were scattered about the country in New York City, Boston, Chicago and San Francisco. Sadly, Jan lost Marianne to cancer in 1993, after 34 years of marriage. A few years later he met and married Jackie Monter and enjoyed a number of happy years of travel and bridge-playing with her. He took care of Jackie as she began to deteriorate with Alzheimer's, eventually having to move her into an assisted-living home. Jan's was a life well-lived, with international adventures, education, fulfilling work, and most importantly, a loving family. He took good care of his family, for which we will always be grateful. His unique expressions and mannerisms live on in his grandkids, who got a big kick out of their "Opa." He is survived by his son Wolter (Linda) and grandkids Melissa, Colin and Ashley Kor, daughter Tanja (Jack) and grandsons Clayton and Henry Bradley, daughter Helen (Chris) and grandson TJ Johnson, daughter Annemarie (Dave) and grandsons Eric and Adam (Kristyn) Coen, and great-grandkids Lincoln and June Coen. He is also survived by his wife Jackie and her children, his sisters-in-law, Anneke Kor & Lia Hollebeek, brother-in-law Klaas Hollebeek, and numerous nieces and nephews in the Netherlands. Friends may call Saturday from 3-5 pm at the Lamiell Funeral Home. Memorial donations may be made in the name of GJW Kor to the National Center for Science Education: www.ncse.ngo