The  first time it happened was in Kindergarten. Mrs. Walker said, “so you’re Jan’s brother. Are you a good student like her?” And I heard it again  and again from every teacher I ever had for the next twelve years. You might think how terrible for a kid to have to live in a shadow. But that’s not how it was. Each teacher (and anyone else who ever asked me) saw my big silly grin as I said in my proudest voice, “yes she is! That’s my sister.” You see, Jan was my hero, even to the day she left for Glory. I have always been so proud to be her brotther. If there had been a Jan button, I'd have worn it. Thank you God for my big sister. I hope that some day I can be just like her.

Jeremy Tarnowski
April 19 at 8:09pm · Garrettsville, OH ·
This was my message I gave at my mom's funeral today. Thankfully, with today's technology I can share it with those who weren't there today. Love you mom, Jan Tarnowski.
Hi my name is Jeremy Tarnowski. My mom’s third son, and her favorite son.
This is my family, my wife Sarah, my children Gabbee, Ethan, Joey and Timmy.
First I would like to read a poem that Gabbee wrote for a school project about her grandmother.
“Your kindness will never be forgotten as we remember you this day.
Your laughter now a broken song that we cannot bear to listen to without breaking once again.
Now we stand here at your grave and it reminds us of so much.
For every year we met for Thanksgiving was the best of my childhood.
And the time we spent with you and your brother playing Monopoly for the longest time was a happy day that I will cherish forever.
When the family visited the beloved house we all remembered the holidays spent there and the memories made. But, we especially remembered you.
Now your voice will be eternally speaking throughout the clouds of heaven.
But, we know that you are now at rest."
As many of you may know my mother was 62 years old. She was my mother for 14,617 days. That was not long enough. My mom was an involved mother. She was involved in many of our activities. She was involved in our school and sports and anything else we did.
My mom would try to figure me out constantly. And as being the rebellious one, I tried to make it difficult for her. She was a patient woman and she worked really hard at it. And then when I got older I wanted my mom to know who I was. I wanted her to be able to help me, because I really needed help. And she was there every time I needed it.
If someone was to ask who was Jan Tarnowski, what would be the answer? It may be safe to say everybody knows she was a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a sibling, a day caretaker, a missionary, an involved parent and so many other things we saw on the outside. I had the the fortunate privilege of sorting through some of her personal belongings as we were preparing mom for hospice. In one book that held her credit cards and business cards and even social security cards for her and my father, i found tucked away some notes written in her hand. A treasure to be found, indeed. Here is a note that described her purpose.
“To come alongside young men who have not yet found Christ to be first and foremost in their lives and to help them see that when they center their lives around Christ they will find joy and peace. They are then able to serve in a way they could not before. They are better husbands, dad's, friends, employees, followers of Christ. They become world changers. I want to be a part of that. Watching God work in their lives brings great joy to my heart.”
And what she felt led to do, “Encourage, strengthen, serve, anticipate needs, help others, do what I can do so they can do what they can do, listen-understand, speak truth in love, make myself available.”
What a calling.
This showed me one of the special things about my mom. She was not just faithful in public, she was also faithful in private. She was a devoted servant to our Lord. She read her Bible every day. She picked a quiet time to read it and would take notes. We have many bibles of hers that are just full of notes and would probably take years to go through them all.
Mom was a good person and tried to help anybody who crossed her path. This led her to becoming a missionary. Mom was chosen not because she was perfect, not because she was good, but because she was faithful. Just like Abraham was chosen because of his faith. My mom was chosen to go across the world and touch people's lives because she was faithful to God and believed His promises. Mom's faith in our Lord was an example to all of us. Without a home, without a car, without many things that people feel they need to have to survive, she was still faithful and the Lord took care of her. Wherever mom went, she was welcomed in as a member of the family. She was sheltered and taken care of by many of us sitting here today. And many of us around the world.
We look at what my mom has done and we all say she did many great things. My mom, however, was just Jan. The Lord used my mom to do many great things. My mom did not boast about what she had accomplished, but she did boast about what the Lord had accomplished through her. Even in this last year during her hardest trial battling cancer, she was taken care of by the Lord and she was the first to testify to that.
And then we come to these last couple of weeks. 2 weeks and half a day. When my mom was in the hospice care for her last days, my brothers and I got to experience so many great people who meant so much to her.
The last night I saw my mom open her eyes was this past Thursday April 14th. And that night I was alone with her for a while and I warned her, I said “Mom I'm going to play Bible roulette”. It was a joke we had about opening up the Bible and picking a verse to read. She was never really fond of that kind of Bible study, but we all did it as kids. So I opened the Bible and came upon Ezra chapter 8 verse 12. It was a story about the return to Jerusalem. I asked the Holy Spirit to teach me what this passage could mean as I read it to my mom.
In this passage there are lot of names and they may not have a whole lot of deep meaning. Then the idea of going to Jerusalem came to me as a journey to heaven and that's what I said to mom. I said, “ Mom you're going to your Jerusalem, your heaven” and along the way, as it says in Ezra, they needed a priest and the priest came. In my eyes I saw that as all the people who came to say goodbye. For those who are in Christ are like priests themselves.
Everyday my mom was on this Earth she was on the road back to Jerusalem, heaven. Everyday we are all on the road back to Heaven. So as you continue on your journey, be faithful, be an example to others, ask the Lord “where can I go for you?” and “what will you have me do?”.
In my family it is an important tradition to say the Lord's Prayer. We say it every night at bedtime. If you would please bow your heads and join me as we say the Lord's prayer.
Our father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Thank you.