Janet Loth, 86, who dedicated her life to Christian education, died of a stroke Sunday, Feb. 24, in the Johnson Healthcare Center of the Windsor Park Manor in Carol Stream. Janet Slacer Loth, a daughter of the late New York Assemblyman John W. Slacer, was born in Buffalo in 1915. She graduated from Buffalo State Teacher’s College with a degree in education. She taught in a public school district in Rochester, N.Y. until her marriage to Rev. Paul Loth, who became pastor of a Baptist church in Buffalo. “She was a pastor’s wife for a while. She did a lot of Christian education within the church at that time, writing curriculum for Sunday school and vacation Bible school,” said her daughter, Joanne Strike. In Buffalo, Mrs. Loth was president of the Inter-Church Baptist Women’s Fellowship and continued her work within the church while raising three children. The family moved to Philadelphia, and Mrs. Loth attended Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary, obtaining a master’s degree in religious education. She then became a Christian education consultant for several publishing companies. “She then went to churches and gave workshops explaining the materials,” Strike said. In 1961, the family moved to Wheaton when Mrs. Loth’s husband became president of the Evangelical Teachers Training Association. “She worked in an era when women didn’t work. She was a little ahead of her time, but she never neglected her family,” her daughter said. Mrs. Loth continued her consulting work with the David C. Cook Publishing Co. She was an adjunct professor at Wheaton College for 10 years beginning in 1963 and taught English and Christian education. Her continued ministry was designed to help others throughout the world teach religious education by giving workshops in 20 countries on four continents, her daughter said. “She was a very spiritual person who wanted to pass her faith on to other people,” Strike said. In addition to her daughter, Mrs. Loth is also survived by another daughter, Esther; a son, Paul J.; a sister, Marjorie Luders; four grandchildren, and a great-grandchild. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday in Village Green Baptist Church, 200 S. Lambert Rd., Glen Ellyn.
