Janet Creelman

July 7, 1925 - August 24, 2018

Janet Creelman was born on the seventh day of 7th month,1925, to Eliot and Janet Fitch, a prominent Milwaukee family. Her brother, John, died in WWII. Her sister, Jerry, passed away recently.

Janet was a good student and went to Bryn Mawr for a year but got pneumonia and missed a semester. She transferred to the University of Wisconsin, got a Phi Beta Kappa and graduated summa cum laude. Later she got a master’s in Social Psychology. She married William Creelman after the war and had four children, John, Richard, Peggy and Ann. In the 1950’s they lived in Los Altos where she was involved in local politics and the League of Women Voters. She was interested in psychotherapy and Carl Jung and offered her opinions on many a poolside conversation. In the early 60’s she became part of the Peninsula School community and made friends with interesting people from Stanford. In the late 60’s she got divorced and married a sculptor, Merrill Bickford. They moved out to live on a house boat on the beach near Pescadero. There she aided and abetted a whole generation of young people in their far-flung dreams.

Her third life began in the 1980’s, when she married her first husband’s brother, John Creelman. They were the finest of partners and united the Creelman clan through a series of family camping trips. They lived happily together both in Menlo Park and then Channing House for more than thirty years.

She was deeply serious about art and water color painting. She believed in creativity and in the deep psychological recesses of the mind. She was also very civic minded and supported liberal Democratic politics to the end. She taught nursery school and adored little children. She gave what she had to give and all those who knew her will remember those gifts.

She is survived by many children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. In lieu of flowers please make a donation to your favorite charity.