Jan Ward Chambers

Jan Ward Chambers, 80, of Cincinnati, Ohio, passed away peacefully after a brief illness on October 26, surrounded by family.

Born in Columbus, Ohio, she was the daughter of Virginia G. Ward and Richard T. Ward. She grew up in Columbus, where she proudly attended Upper Arlington High School and Ohio State University, and met and married her high school sweetheart, J. Robert Chambers, with whom she recently celebrated her 59th wedding anniversary.

After moving to Cincinnati, Jan raised three children, Kristin, Rick, and Jennifer, before beginning a rewarding career as a Loss Prevention Operative for Macy's Department Store in Kenwood, where she worked until her retirement in 2010. She was known for her "sixth sense" in identifying potential thieves and for an unassuming appearance that often camouflaged her incredible toughness. The company lauded her as one of their top LPOs even into her 60s.

Jan loved golf and was a founding member of Ivy Hills Country Club, where she played with friends and family for 35 years. Having been a lifeguard growing up, she loved swimming and spending time on the beach every winter in Grand Cayman, where she always invited friends and family to join and where she befriended staff and guests, with whom she kept in touch year after year. She made friends everywhere she went and kept them for decades, never forgetting a spouse's name, a birthday, graduation, or holiday, often gifting jars of homemade jam, texting a Wordle score, or sending an e-card to let you know she was thinking about you.

Jan is survived by her husband, J. Robert Chambers; her son Rick Chambers and his wife Emma Craig; her daughter Jennifer Chambers and her wife, Elizabeth Pender Chambers; her grandchildren Simon Dollinger, Nina Chambers, and Stella Chambers; and many, many lifelong friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, Virginia and Richard Ward; her brother Richard Ward Jr.; her sister Shelley Ward Beck and brother-in-law Sam Beck; and her beloved daughter, Kristin.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, December 5, from 1 - 4 p.m. at Ivy Hills Country Club, 7711 Ivy Hills Boulevard, Cincinnati, in Anderson Township. The family kindly requests no flowers or donations. Your presence and memories of Jan are gift enough. As she would say, "All are welcome."

The family would like to thank the doctors, nurses, and staff at the Medical Intensive Care Unit at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center for their extreme compassion and care.