They penned her inspiring obituary and it has since gone viral.
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Jan loved the Patriots, Red Sox, Tom Brady, Florida, cold and room temperature Budweiser, airplane food, mopeds and clam chowder.
They say she was truly one of a kind.
Jan's son Greg Patterson said, "She was just a free spirit, I guess is the best way to describe her."
An excerpt from her viral obituary says she was diagnosed with advanced COPD, extreme stubbornness and was an armchair quarterback.
The stories her family can tell are endless.
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Her other son, Jake Lomax, shares memories of his mom, saying, "If they were in Chicago, she would pull us out of school to go see the Red Sox play despite my desire to have perfect attendance."
Jan might physically be gone, but her spirit and infectious laugh shine through her family.
Patterson said, "The joy people got from reading that obituary is the best honor we could have for a mom that brought us so much joy and laughter in our lives."
Her family says she always wanted to be famous and now, she is.
After death she is still inspiring others to live life to the fullest and that the really good things in life are behind the do not enter signs.