Jan Usinger Grube Sanchez

Jan Usinger (Grube) Sanchez passed away on April 26, 2018 after a long battle with cancer and lung disease in. Born in Vineland, NJ on May 2, 1956 to Millard Riley Usinger and Rosena Foster Usinger Auerbach, she was raised in Willow Grove, NJ. She was a member of the Willow Grove Methodist church. She graduated from Vineland High School in 1974. Jan devoted her life to service to her country, joining the Navy in 1976 as an Aerographer’s Mate (meteorology) and was stationed at the National Security Agency; Naval Security Group Activity, Guam, Marianas Islands; Naval Oceanography Command Center, Guam; and the Naval Polar Oceanography Center in Suitland, MD. After 9 years on active duty, she transferred to the Naval Reserves and went back to college. In the reserves, she served as an enlisted sailor, obtaining the rank of E-6 before being accepted to the Limited Duty Officer Program. She was recalled to active duty after 9/11, serving at the weather command in Pearl Harbor, HI. She retired from the reserves in 2003 with the rank of LT. She worked for the Navy as a government contractor for 32 years before becoming a Federal Government employee in 2010. She worked for the Navy’s branch of the Missile Defense Agency in the international arena, assisting allied Navies to obtain defensive Ballistic Missile Defense capability. Her most recent position was with the Naval Sea Systems Command Program Executive Office for Integrated Warfare Systems where she served as the Director for International Engagement. She was due to retire from the Federal Government in June 2018. She married Johnny Marichalar Sanchez on December 15, 2007, the happiest day of her life. She converted to Catholicism in 2007 and was a member of St Bernadette Catholic Church in Springfield, VA. She was an avid supporter of feeding the hungry and supported a number of other causes including, Macular Degeneration, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s disease. Jan earned three business degrees, an AA from Prince George’s Community College, MD; a BS from Park University, Missouri; and an MBA from Phoenix University. She enjoyed music and played several instruments over the course of her life – organ, clarinet, tenor saxophone, and piano. She enjoyed all kinds of music from country to classical but was particularly fond of opera and was a season ticket holder at the Washington National Opera for several years. She was also an avid reader, enjoying mysteries and medieval and American history. She was preceded in death by her parents, her stepfather, George Auerbach; her stepson Ruben Sanchez, and her grandson Justin Sanchez. She is survived by her beloved husband, Johnny Sanchez; her “adopted” daughter Sohe Belsky (Chris); stepsons Johnny Joe Sanchez (Denise), Chris Sanchez (Laurie), Marc Sanchez, and David Sanchez; brothers J. Ross Usinger (Nadine), and Jon Usinger (Luanne); sister Amy Tomasso (Buddy); step-brother Bill Auerbach (Madge); grandchildren Ruben Sanchez, Christian Sanchez, Ricardo Sanchez, Rene Sanchez, and Nathan Sanchez; four great grandchildren; nephews Brian Tomasso, Kevin Tomasso (Annette), and niece Jennifer Hatfield (Brad); grand nephews and nieces Michael Tomasso, Julie Tomasso, Reagan Hatfield, Chase Tomasso, and Ashlyn Tomasso. Relatives and friends may call at Jefferson Funeral Chapel, 5755 Castlewellan Dr. Alexandria, VA on Wednesday, May 2, 2018 from 7-9 PM. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Bernadette Catholic Church, 7600 Old Keene Mill Rd. Springfield, Va. on Thursday, May 3 at 11 AM. A second service will be held in New Jersey at Adams Funeral Home. Interment will be at Chestnut Grove Cemetery, Elmer, NJ. Donations in lieu of flowers may be sent to Cancer Research Institute (https://www.cancerresearch.org); The American Cancer Society (https://cancer.org); the American Lung Association http://www.lung.org); Central Union Mission (http://www.missiondc.org); or Autism Speaks (https://www.autismspeaks.org).

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Jan Usinger Grube Sanchez

May 2, 1956 - April 26, 2018