Jan Klein Surasky

August 23, 2021, peacefully at home, after a brief illness, surrounded by her family.
Jan was a graduate of Cornell University with graduate study in English literature at the University of Rochester. After her graduation from Cornell she traveled across the country with friends ending up in San Francisco where she found a job as book reviewer, movie reviewer and entertainment writer with a San Francisco daily newspaper.
She returned home to Rochester, NY where she married, raised a family and was a freelance writer. Her many articles and short stories were published in national and regional magazines and newspapers. She also taught writing at the literary center Writers & Books and at Finger Lakes Community College as well as presenting a number of workshops and seminars in a variety of colleges and other venues.
She was the founder of two publishing companies. She was also the author of four award-winning novels and the author of several travel and non-fiction books illustrated and photographed by daughter Susan.
As a high school senior she was a winner of the Lawrence S. Mayers Peace Award, a national essay contest open to high school seniors in the United States sponsored by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
She contributed as a volunteer, officer and board member to many organizations, charities and political campaigns.
She leaves daughters Susan (Thomas) Rice of Victor, NY, Lauren (Paul) Lysiak of Rochester, NY, Amy (John) Borders of Trumbull, Connecticut, and son Adam (Tammy) of Bloomfield, NY, and grandsons Alex and Owen Borders of Trumbull, Connecticut.
Graveside Services were held privately in Mt. Hope Cemetery by Brighton Memorial Chapel, Inc.