Janet Louise VandenBos Pursley Wolf — educator, mentor, wife, mother, grandmother, world traveler, clothes horse, art and music lover, and good neighbor — died peacefully at Rose Arbor Hospice on May 26, 2026.

Born in Ottawa County, Michigan, in 1941 to Gerrit and Lura VandenBos, Jan grew up in Holland, Michigan, carrying with her a strong sense of discipline and curiosity, as well as pride in her Dutch heritage and hometown throughout her life. Bright and academically driven from an early age, she graduated from Holland High School a year ahead of her peers and then attended Western Michigan University, where she earned a degree in Education and met her first husband, Lee Pursley.

Teaching was not simply Jan’s profession — it was central to who she was. Beginning with fourth grade classrooms in Kalamazoo Public Schools and later at Miller Elementary School in Jackson County Schools, she devoted herself to helping children grow in confidence, character, and independence. She carried those same expectations into every part of her life, encouraging those around her to work hard, think critically, and remain engaged with the world.

Jan’s intellect was perhaps her most prized possession—she loved to think and solve complex problems. She was an avid reader of books and newspapers, a lover of music, art, theater, travel, and spirited conversation, and someone who approached life with enthusiasm. She delighted in discovering a new author, recipe, destination, or idea worth sharing.

After the devastating loss of Lee to leukemia in 1984, Jan demonstrated the resilience and determination that became one of the defining lessons of her life for her family. While raising teenagers and teaching full-time, she commuted to Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, studying late into the night and often isolating herself in hotels before exams to focus completely on her preparation. She graduated with honors, passed the Michigan Bar, entered private practice in Jackson, and later found a meaningful second career as a Trust Officer with First of America Bank, where her compassion, intelligence, and personal experience helped guide clients through some of life’s most difficult moments, often visiting them at home or helping them navigate everyday needs.

Jan married Dr. Frank Wolf, a Professor of Engineering at Western Michigan University, and together they built a life filled with art, travel, friendship, family, and community service. Their home on Woods Lake became the center of friendly dinners, book club discussions, and family gatherings. This special place is where grandchildren learned to fish, swim, cook, draw, and appreciate the simple pleasures of creativity, conversation, and local culture. There was always a thoughtful conversation, creative idea, or new adventure waiting with Frank and Jan.

Jan’s love of culture and civic engagement extended well beyond her career. She volunteered as a literacy mentor through the Literacy Council of Kalamazoo, helping adults gain the skills and confidence to improve their lives, meeting weekly with her students, and learning Zoom to continue lessons throughout the pandemic. She served on the boards of Fontana Chamber Arts and Friendship Village, volunteered with the League of Women Voters, and, alongside Frank, served as a docent at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, focusing on children’s groups and programs for the visually impaired.

Together, Jan and Frank traveled widely — from memorable extended stays in Paris and Italy to adventures in Peru, Australia, New Zealand, and Costa Rica, to regular trips to Chicago and New York, and New England to visit her daughter — yet Jan remained happiest at home on Woods Lake: reading on the deck, solving the New York Times crossword, watching wildlife in the yard, and sharing cold prosecco, conversation, and meals inspired by the Kalamazoo Farmers Market with family and friends.

Her grandchildren brought her immeasurable pride and joy. She celebrated their academic, professional, and personal accomplishments enthusiastically, while also challenging them to keep growing, keep asking thoughtful questions, work hard, try new things, and never lose their sense of humor.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Gerrit and Lura VandenBos; her brother, John VandenBos; and her first husband, Lee Pursley.

Jan is survived by her husband, Frank Wolf of Kalamazoo; her children, Jennifer Pursley Jones of Marblehead, Massachusetts, and Brian Pursley of Horton, Michigan; her grandchildren, Darrin Pursley of Iron Mountain, Michigan, Andrew Pursley of Washington, D.C., and Aidan Pursley of Washington, D.C.; her stepsons, Christian Wolf and Alexander Wolf, both of Kalamazoo, and Nathaniel Wolf of Houston, Texas; and their children.

Her family will remember her not only for what she accomplished, but for the example she set: a life lived thoughtfully, courageously, intellectually, lovingly, humorously and always fully engaged with the world around her