Janet Martha Sinkevitch

The wee lass was born on August 5, 1933 to Thomas and Ruth (Jackson) McInnes, and to elder brothers “Jack” (Thomas Jackson) McInnes and Ronald Avery McInnes. Janet was born in Sebring, Florida, but grew up in Williamsville, New York.

Jan’s father Tom served in World War I as a Scottish Grenadier in the service of His Majesty, King George V. He was wounded at and decorated for his service in the year-long battle of Gallipoli. Both he and his brother Harry played bass drum in Scottish military bagpipe bands before emigrating to America. Tom’s daughter Janet inherited his love of music and his rhythmic sense, still tapping the beat at age 92 at her husband’s memorial, less than a week before she herself succumbed.

Janet’s mother’s family, the Jacksons and Averys, were established Americans of English descent, and the family was united and grounded in the Presbyterian church where Janet grew up singing in the choir. Jan pursued a Bachelor of Arts in vocal music performance at Providence-Barrington Bible College in Rhode Island, where she met and married her duet partner, John Paul Sinkevitch, a pianist, pipe organist, and choir director. Jan was destined for a life of service and support in John’s nearly 70-year music ministry, a role she fulfilled with both joy and tenacity, hanging on until she had seen John’s memorials finally through. They were married 69 years.

After college, Jan and John served the First Baptist Church in North Adams, Massachusetts, where they welcomed their first child, Lois Miriam, and then at First Baptist Church in Inglewood, California, where siblings David Paul and Elaine Marie were born. In 1968 they accepted the invitation to serve the First Baptist Church in Everett, Washington, which became home for 22 years. In 1990-91 John built his queen their dream home, affectionately dubbed “The Bellingham Palace” and they ministered at the First Baptist Church of Bellingham, Washington for another 16 years.

In 2006, Jan and John joined the Warm Beach community where she prophetically joked, “This is my final resting place.” They served part-time at the Warm Beach Free Methodist Church, John leading singing from the piano and organ, and together leading singing during MOPS and Vacation Bible School programs where they adopted the endearing grandparenting titles, “Papa John and Yanni”.

Many will remember Jans unique and unflinchingly accurate soprano voice, her unfazed role as soloist and chorister, her hostessing for annual music committee dinners and choral sing-alongs, and her general willingness to go along with whatever musical endeavor John imagined.

Jan earned her own recognition outside of music and John for seamstressing, by receiving multiple Evergreen State Fair ribbons for knitting sweaters, and by commandeering bakers to form the Cookie Brigade, keeping local police and fire departments well stocked with home-baked goodies. Jan was a teaching leader in Bible Study Fellowship for many years, and taught Sunday School for decades. Her biblical knowledge was well-attested and firmly grounded, especially in the Old Testament. Jan was “fiercely proud” of her Scottish heritage, attending Scottish festivals, collecting thistles (except in her garden), reading Scotland Magazine, adoring bagpipes, repeatedly visiting Britain, and maintaining that her favorite color was plaid, especially McInnes plaid.

Over all other achievements and characteristics ruled one focus. Second only to her devotion to her Savior was her devotion to her husband. Her self-disciplined task and delight was to make her husband shine, and this she accomplished every day of their 69 years together. John loved Jan, and Jan loved John. Jan ensured that John was well-fed, well-rested, pressed and dressed, on time, confident, and chipper. She did it by being steady and reliable, by providing a peaceful home for him to return to every night, by leading the soprano section in each of John’s choirs, by keeping a sense of humor, and by setting the example for her children to admire their father.

Jan was preceded in death by her beloved husband on April 11, 2026, and is survived by her children, Lois (Doug) Morton, David (Margo Peters) Sinkevitch, Lainey (Fred) Petersen; by her only grandson, Dietrich (Jenna McInnis) Sinkevitch, and the “little guy”, her great-grandson, Paul Lewis Sinkevitch.

A memorial service for Jan will be held on Sunday, July 12, 2026 at 2:00 PM in Beachwood Lounge at Warm Beach Senior Community in Stanwood, Washington. Interment will follow at a later date at the Warm Beach Free Methodist Church columbarium with Jan, of course, beside her husband.