W. Jan Davis Schick

W. Jan Schick

We are sad to share with you that Jan Schick passed away at home early Sunday morning October 11. Jan was a wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend to anyone she met.

She is preceded in death by her father and mother Joe and Katholeen Davis, her husband C. Dennis Schick of 61 years (2020), her youngest child Tim Schick (2022), and Logan (Tim’s Anatolian Shepherd). She is survived by her two remaining children Leslie Gorrell (Doug) and Greg Schick (Christa); her four grandchildren Alex (Hannah), Lisa (Wyatt Williams and Parker), Katie, and Emily Schick; and many extended and dear family members.

Jan and Dennis were married on December 28, 1959 in the church of her youth, in the town of her birth, baptism, high school graduation, and college graduation: Belton, Texas. They met on a double date (seeing “Dragon Wells Massacre” in the theater because she wasn’t allowed to see the Rock Hudson/Elizabeth Taylor movie “Giant” at the drive in!), fell in love after four months of dating, and never looked back. She became Dennis’ executive assistant in all of his endeavors as a PHD student, a professor, executive director, and father of their soon-to-be family of five. Their adventures during his teaching years meant having their children in the cities where he taught: Leslie in Champagne, IL (SIU); Greg in Fort Worth, TX (TCU), and Tim in Stillwater, OK (OSU). Their last stop in Round Rock Texas (UT) preceded their roots finally going down for good.

Jan and Dennis moved to Arkansas in 1979 when he was hired to serve as the Executive Director of the Arkansas Press Association, a state trade association of newspapers. She was the consummate executive assistant at the APA and their marriage.

For 25 years, the Arkansas and National Newspaper Associations knew them as Dennis and Jan. Where HE was, SHE was. Where SHE was, he was BETTER. Accolades that came to him for leadership and wisdom only came at the support of her. They were like a “power couple” who rejected the power, but worked as a couple. Their work was never without kindness and generosity as leaders, innovators, bosses, and friends.

Jan was also the executive assistant – make that executive – of the family raising their three children. Wherever THEY were, SHE was. Band rehearsal, soccer practice, piano lessons, homework teacher, and so on. Where SHE was, her children were BETTER. Dennis was the good cop; she was the BETTER cop. She was the peacemaker and the chief forgiver. She loved her children as she had been loved.

“They” retired together from the APA in 2004 after a quarter of a century. But “retire” meant traveling to the states she and Dennis had not visited during National Newspaper Association conferences, doing various projects at home, and rediscovering how much it takes to keep up with children again with her four grandchildren. The heartbreak of her life was losing her husband – that handsome young Jackie Cooper look alike – in 2020; followed by the passing of her youngest child Tim. The cycle of birth and death, of grieving and rejoicing, proved true yet again when her first and last great grandchild, Parker, was born in May of 2025.

Jan’s hobbies over the years included gardening, sewing, collecting snowmen and penguin figurines (by accident!). She loved catching up on the phone with friends and cousins who loved to talk almost as long as she did. She loved to read as well as write. She journaled about ordinary things, extraordinary things, her children, as well as prayers and hopes for the world. She was a consummate letter writer in her cursive correspondence. She made copies of the letters she wrote to others so that she would remember what she said. Staying in touch was her love language.

Jan was a person of faith. For forty-six years she and Dennis were members of Lakewood United Methodist Church. They both served in nearly every leadership capacity in the church over the years, always championing the next growing phase of the church…always ready to expand the light. She and Dennis loved to sing, especially in the church choir. You could see her sing – as well as hear her. Her pleasant face showed you the joy she had singing hymns and anthems. They brought music into the family with regular sing-a-longs around the piano. Eight hours before she passed, she ever so faintly sang along to the third verse of Hymn of Promise, which proclaims “in our end, is our beginning…at the last, a victory.”

A service of celebration for her victory will be Friday October 16, 2026 at 11a.m. at Lakewood United Methodist Church, 1922 Topf Rd. The service will be live streamed on their YouTube channel. Search for “LakewoodUMC North Little Rock AR, Jan Schick.” Memorials can be made to the Endowment Fund at Lakewood United Methodist Church or the Arkansas Press Association Endowment Fund.

Arrangements by Smith North Little Rock Funeral Home , 1921 Main St, North Little Rock, AR 72114, 501-758-1170.