Jan Mina Parker

Jan Mina Parker

August 22, 1963- March 12, 2024 

On March 12, while backcountry skiing in the West Elk Mountains and in the arms of her husband, Jan died peacefully of natural causes.

Jan led a multi-dimensional life packed with interests and accomplishments: she had a successful career in electrical engineering before retiring in 2019; Jan traveled and experienced Europe and the Americas; she was a master gardener and adventurous cook; she was an athlete who competed in The Grand Traverse ski race with her husband; and she was a ceramic artist always exploring new techniques.

Jan grew up with her parents and siblings in Sioux Falls, SD, where she graduated in 1981 from Washington Senior High School. At the University of Minnesota (UMN) she earned a BS in Engineering. She met her husband, Marcel Medved, while they were both earning a MBA, also at the U of MN. They were married in 1996.

Jan and Marcel lived in Minneapolis, MN and Athens, GA, before moving in 2005 to their mountain home in Crested Butte, CO. Jan thrived in this active, creative, and engaged community. She volunteered with organizations that reflected her love of the outdoors, the arts, and her community. She found collaborative support for her artistic expression and process at the Crested Butte Clay Studio and The Paragon Gallery.

Jan is survived by her husband, Marcel Medved, and her mother, Sue Rich Parker, and her siblings Joan Parker (Michael Makely) and James Stephen “Jim” Parker (Anne Hoeger Parker) as well as cousins, nieces, and nephews. She is preceded in death by her father James William Parker.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, April 6, from 4:00-7:00 PM at the Crested Butte Nordic Center’s Magic Meadows Yurt. A celebration of life will also be held in Minneapolis in August, details forthcoming.

To honor Jan and in lieu of flowers, the family suggests sending donations to the Crested Butte Nordic Center or to an organization that reflects Jan’s loves and life.