Dr. Janet E. Kearney-Gissendaner, 73, was born on December 29, 1949, in Columbus, Ohio and passed away peacefully with her loving husband, Fred Gissendaner, his daughter, Lorrie Flowers, his grandchildren, Donissa Flowers, Cassandra Flowers, Johnnie Flowers III, and great-granddaughter, Melody, at her bedside on Sunday, January 8, 2023, at a nursing facility in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. She succumbed after an extended battle with Alzheimer’s.

Dr. Kearney-Gissendaner lived in Mechanicsburg until she was in middle school, and she completed her education in the Columbus City Schools. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from The Ohio State University. Further, she earned an additional master’s degree and a PhD in Education Administration from Ohio University.

She retired from Ashland University as an Associate Professor of Education Administration. Prior to Ashland University, she had a long career with Columbus City Schools, where she was Director of Human Resources, served as a middle and high school teacher, and assistant principal. She was a dedicated educator and researcher and received numerous awards for her research on minority teacher recruitment and retention.

A published author, Dr. Kearney-Gissendaner’s book, Minority Teacher Recruitment and Retention Strategies, based on years of research, helped school leaders seamlessly incorporate minority teacher recruitment and retention programs into human resources activities.

Dr. Kearney-Gissendaner also received numerous awards, recognitions, and citations, including the Ashland University Mentor Award, presented in January 2008 for academic mentor recognition by Ashland University students. She was presented with the Bill Hunter Award for her outstanding work in personnel administration in the state of Ohio. She is a former president of the Ohio Association of School Personnel Administrators serving as a liaison on the board for the Ohio Minority Recruitment Consortium (OMRC). She also chaired the Camp Attracting Prospective Educators (CAPE) for the State of Ohio.

Janet was an Archousa with Beta Rho Boule, Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, a Henry M. Minton Legacy Awardee with the Boule Foundation, a Silhouette with the Akron Alumni Chapter, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and a life member, AKA Sorority. She achieved emeritus status with the Carousels, a national social organization, and an Alumnae of The Links, also a national organization.

Janet also had an Honorary Lifetime Membership with The Ohio Association of School Personnel Administration and The American Association of School Personnel Administration.

Janet also led a fulfilling personal life and enriched the lives of everyone she encountered with her warm personality, wit, and charm. She loved to travel, shop and garden. She was an avid fan of physical fitness and gourmet cooking. She was a member of Second Baptist Church for more than 40 years, and was active in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, the Columbus Chapter of The Carrousels, the Twin Rivers Ohio Chapter of the Links Incorporated, and was a lifetime Member of Jack and Jill of America, Incorporated.

Dr. Kearney-Gissendaner was preceded in death by her parents Raymond J. Hill and Elizabeth Banks Hill Ragland, brother Steven N. Hill, sister Deborah E. Woods and brother Jeffrey J. Hill.

In addition to her husband, Fred, Janet leaves to cherish her memory, daughter Tanya E. Kearney-Johnson; granddaughter, Mikayla Spencer; and siblings, Kenneth R. Hill, Sue E. Moore, Karen E. Hill (Chester Brown), and Nancy E. Hill (Rendall Howell); many nieces and nephews and extended family, including stepchildren, Lorrie Flowers (Johnnie) and Lee Gissendaner (Jamie); sisters-in-law Charlestine Gissendaner and Antoinette Id Deen (David); and brother-in-law, Art Gissendaner and many friends.