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December 4, 1946 - October 29, 2024 Jan McLaren, 77, peacefully embarked on his final journey on October 29, 2024. Born on December 4, 1946, in Atlantic, Iowa, Jan was the third of five children of James 'Jimmie' E. and Lola (Bissell) McLaren.
He grew up on the family farm in Cumberland, Iowa, alongside his two sisters, Roma and Roxy, and his two brothers, James and Brian. His childhood was filled with baseball games, farm life, and the strong faith-based values that shaped him. Jan attended a one room country school south of Cumberland through eighth grade, graduating from Cumberland Massena High School in 1965.
That same year, he answered the call to serve, enlisting in the United States Marine Corps. He served with honor from 1965 to 1968 and was proud to be a Vietnam veteran. Following his military service, Jan attended the University of Montana, working summers with the U.
S. Forest Service. In 1971, he became a Smokejumper, an experience he deeply enjoyed - not just for the thrill of fire jumps but for the incredible pack outs that took him deep into the backcountry of the Northwest and Alaska.
Jan earned a Mathematics degree in 1973, a Business Administration degree in 1974, and passed the CPA exam in 1975. After spending two years with an accounting firm in Billings, Montana, he returned to the U.S.
Forest Service, where he enjoyed a long and rewarding career. He retired as Branch Chief Budget and Finance in the Albuquerque Service Center. In 1976, Jan married Cheri Boyd, and together they built a life filled with adventure and family.
They raised three sons David, Grayson, and Gavin - immersing them in the outdoor lifestyle of western Montana. Jan was a dedicated father who took great joy in supporting his sons' passions, from wrestling matches and baseball games to cross-country meets, hiking, backpacking, hunting, and skiing. Jan is preceded in death by his parents, James 'Jimmie' E.
McLaren and Lola (Bissell) McLaren, His Brothers James E. McLaren and Brian McLaren, his sister Roma McLaren. Jan is survived by his wife of 48 years, Cheri; his sons, David (Rachel) Boyd, Grayson McLaren, and Gavin McLaren; and his beloved grandchildren, Noah (Shay) Boyd, Jeshua Boyd, Ethan Boyd, and Hattie Boyd; his sister Roxy McLaren, sisters-in-law Marla (James) McLaren, and Delilah (Brian) McLaren, brother-in-law Chuck (Julie) Olson; as well as several nieces and nephews and a large extended family.
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