Janet Hays Eagleson Hopkins, 86, of New Wilmington passed away at 3:10 a.m. Wednesday at Shenango Presbyterian Senior Care in New Wilmington.

Janet Hopkins, a beloved professor of education at Westminster College, was born June 24, 1923, in Polk to Charles and Mary Hays.

Her education began in Seneca, then continued in the Slippery Rock schools from her 7th grade and graduating from Slippery Rock High School with high honors in May 1940. She enrolled in the Slippery Rock State Teachers College the fall of 1940, majoring in English and social studies and graduated cum laude in May 1943, having taken the accelerated program.

She taught at Winfield High School from the fall of 1943 until the spring of 1945 and then taught at Oakmont High School for the 1945-46 school year.

On June 29, 1946, she married Robert C. Eagleson in the First Methodist Church of Ellwood City. They made their home in New Wilmington, where they both taught in New Wilmington High School. He died in December 1962.

During the school year, 1964-65, she took a sabbatical to attend the University of Illinois, where she was awarded her master's degree in education. Subsequently, she joined the education department of Westminster College, a position she held until her retirement in 1983.

On Aug. 12, 1966, she married Edward Hopkins of Sharpsville, where they lived until he died Jan. 7, 1977. She subsequently moved back to New Wilmington.

Janet was well known as an educator, having received many honors and accolades during her career. She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma fraternity, among other academic organizations.

After her retirement, she traveled extensively in the United States, Europe, the British Isles, Australia and New Zealand.

She was preceded in death by her husbands and her parents.

She is survived by a sister, Helen Shaffer of Rochester, Minn.; three nephews, Daniel (Janet) Shaffer of Seattle, Wash., David (Patricia) Shaffer-Gottschalk of Colonial Heights, Va., and Thomas Shaffer of Hollidaysburg; her stepchildren, Cher Elekes and Bonnie Hopkins; and her stepnieces, Barbara Jordan and Kay Spiker.

<B>HOPKINS</B> — Visitation for Janet Hays Eagleson Hopkins, who died Wednesday, July 8, 2009, will be from 4 until 7 p.m. Friday at the <B>Smith Funeral Home</B>, 310 W. Neshannock Ave., New Wilmington. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home with the Rev. Ralph Hawkins, pastor of the New Wilmington Presbyterian Church, officiating. Interment will follow at Fair Oaks Cemetery, New Wilmington.Memorial contributions may be given to Westminster College.