Janet Abrams, a Walnut Creek resident for 35 years, found her calling in civic mindedness and community service. When she passed away July 27 at age 73, she left behind her mark from fundraising and advocacy efforts in sports fields, gymnasiums, the Walnut Creek Library, women’s voices in politics and more.
Recognized for her dedication and chosen in 2014 as Walnut Creek’s citizen of the year, Abrams was a respected member of her community, recognized around town in her signature yellow Mercedes convertible. Abrams and her husband, Charles Abrams, moved to Walnut Creek in 1979 with their three sons. Becoming involved with the community and opening her home to her sons’ friends was her way of getting to know people. Having a warm, hospitable, welcoming home was very important to Abrams. In recent years, she and her husband had moved to Idaho.
“When we were young, Janet had a way of welcoming kids into her house. In addition to her three sons, there were probably 15 or 20 other kids our age that would consider her their second mom,” said son Andrew Abrams. “She welcomed many kids who were having troubles in their own home and would give a hug to everyone who came through the door; she was the solid person who they could trust.”
Abrams started her community service with youth sports, serving for 19 years as a board member and field coordinator for the Walnut Creek Soccer Club, remaining long after her sons had left the club. Here she met Cindy Silva, a Walnut Creek City Council member and former mayor who remembers Abrams’ early method of team scheduling.
“She ran all the soccer fields and scheduled all the games — 180 teams playing on any one weekend. She figured out where each team was playing and at what time, and she did it by hand, spread out on the floor of her living room every August for the fall season, said Silva. “She couldn’t leave the club board until she found someone to take her job.”
Abrams was a huge advocate for youth sports; she worked with all the youth sports commissions throughout the city and served on the Parks, Recreation and Open Space Commission. She was instrumental in the rebuilding of the gymnasium at Foothill Middle School and to the Castle Rock Youth Sports Complex being developed.
“She became pretty much legendary,” Andrew Abrams said. “She was the go-to person for years and years and years.”
Janet Abrams was one of the founding members of the Walnut Creek Library Foundation; she spearheaded the advocacy to build the new library as well as a capital campaign of more than $5 million to build it and served on its board for 20 years. The Action for Beauty Council, the 2014 Walnut Creek Centennial Committee and the Diablo Symphony Orchestra all got her support.
“Pretty much any organization her kids or husband became involved with got the bonus of having Janet become a lifelong supporter,” her son said.
Politics was another area of great importance to Abrams, specifically the importance of women having a voice in politics. She helped manage the East Bay’ Women’s Conference and National Women’s Political Caucus as well as many other organizations that promoted women candidates on both sides of the aisle. She was campaign manager for several successful City Council campaigns, including that of her husband, who served 12 years on the Walnut Creek City Council, twice as mayor. Silva recalled dropping by Abrams’ house and seeing the television tuned to C-SPAN or other political news.
“She was fascinated with politics and government; she felt very passionate about voting and being engaged in politics, being responsible and taking action in the community,” Silva said. “Janet was always willing to open her home for events.”
In 2014 Abrams was recognized for her work with the East Bay Women’s Conference, the Walnut Creek Library Foundation and the Walnut Creek Soccer Club and was named Citizen of the Year, an action that her son recalls embarrassed her, explaining that her choice was to busily work behind the scenes.
“What was important to her were all the friends she made, working with people toward a common goal. That’s what was really important to her, the relationships,” he said.
In remembering Abrams, friends and family fondly recall her driving around town in her signature yellow Mercedes convertible, and the symbol of a pineapple, as a sign of being welcome.
“Believe it or not, the symbol of her legacy would be a pineapple. When she was first married, setting up her home in Virginia, she fell in love with the pineapple as a sign of welcome. Back east in the 1700s, when sailors returned to port, they’d bring a pineapple,” Andrew Abrams said. “So when you go back east you’ll see pineapple flags everywhere. Janet had taken that to heart; for her all were welcome.”
Abrams believes that if Janet were to leave behind a message she would probably encourage people to follow their passion into civic service, that there are lots of different ways to give back to your community and that everyone who looks for it can find his or her own way.
“Consequences be damned, do what you think is right. When you’re acting out of love, you really can’t go wrong,” he said.
Silva added that Abrams’ advice might be to “read a book, sit in the park and vote.”
“She will be remembered for so many things she did in the community. Whether you go into the library, if you’re at a ball field or if you’re involved in some aspect of local community activism, she had her hand in it, quietly,” she said. “There are lots of ways we can remember her in our community.”
Marta Yamamoto is a freelance writer, longtime Bay Area resident and outdoor enthusiast. Contact her at martayam211@yahoo.com.