Jan Schumpert passed away in Raton, NM on August 10, 2025. Janis Vivian Montgomery Schumpert was born to W.E. “Bill” and Bernice Montgomery on April 6, 1947 in Whittier, CA. Her brother, Joe Bill, was born a few years later and the family relocated to Fort Sumner, NM where she graduated from high school in 1965.
Jan graduated from Eastern New Mexico University in Portales in 1969. She married Bill Schumpert in August 1967. They shared three daughters: Kate, Kary, and Kelly, and despite their divorce they remained friendly and enjoyed many years of shared family memories.
After living in Albuquerque, and the Phoenix and Denver areas, Jan returned to eastern New Mexico, settling in Melrose to be closer to family. She ran Schumpert Grocery for a few years before returning to Eastern to earn her teaching certificate and accepted a teaching job at Springer High School where she taught from 1987 to 1998. She married Vincent Montoya in 1989 and following their divorce, they also stayed friends. After eleven more years teaching and being the librarian at Raton High School, she retired in 2009. Jan enjoyed teaching family and consumer sciences, being the librarian, and sponsoring FHA/HERO and FCCLA. She giggled and recalled adventures shared with her friends, student shenanigans, and many conferences.
Jan was an active member of the United Methodist Church for most of her life and was always busy as a member of the United Methodist Women (UMW) and various church committees. She loved her years in retirement and filled her calendar with Retired Teachers, the Raton Library Board, Friends of the Library, Master Gardeners, exercise and walking groups, and countless other organizations. She could be counted on to volunteer for community events and looked forward to the Colfax County Fair and other events each year. Spending time with friends and family was always a favorite of Jan’s.
Throughout her life, she had a passion for travel, enjoying family camping trips in her old green VW van and making opportunities to see new things whenever possible, and later cross-country road trips in her various red vehicles. Jan recently reached a lifelong dream, checking off her 50th state, North Carolina, on a trip in the fall of 2024. In retirement, she loved taking cruises and traveling with friends and family.
Jan quite enjoyed being involved with Eastern Star, and was active in chapters in Raton and Trinidad. She looked forward to the annual trips around New Mexico for Grand Chapter, and counted trips to national Grand Chapters as some of her favorite memories.
She is survived by her brother Joe (Charlotte) of Melrose, NM; three daughters, Kate (Stan) Schiffelbein of Colorado Springs, Kary Schumpert of Longmont, CO, Kelly Schumpert of Longmont, CO; three grandchildren, Will (Krystal) Schiffelbein of Colorado Springs, Ben Schiffelbein of Washington, DC, and Abby (TJ) Germain of Del Rio, TX, and four great-grandchildren, Eleanor, Madeline, Graham, and Casper.
Funeral services for Jan Schumpert will be held on Friday, August 15, at 10 am at the First United Methodist Church in Raton at 10 am. Graveside services will follow on Saturday, August 16, at 10 am at the Melrose Cemetery in Melrose, NM. Jan Schumpert passed away in Raton on August 10, 2025. She was born April 6, 1947 in Whittier, CA and had lived in the Springer and Raton area since August 1987.
If you have a favorite memory or story about Jan, please email karyschumpert@gmail.com and the family will share some of these anecdotes at the funeral. Thank you.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Raton Friends of the Library or your favorite community organization.
