Janet Weaver (Eltinge), 73, ZOOM Producer

From the Winchester Star

Janet Eltinge died April 9, 2019 at the age of 73 at Winchester Medical Center in Winchester, VA, from complications of pneumonia.

Janet was the daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Henry O. Weaver of Houston, Texas. She is survived by a brother, Neil Weaver of Houston, Texas and a sister, Nancy Weaver Chesick of Maui, Hawaii.

Janet grew up in Houston, Texas graduating from Lamar High School, then attending Hollins College of Hollins, VA, spending her junior year abroad in Vienna, and graduating from the University of Texas in Austin.

Following college, Janet moved to Boston, Mass. working in the Administrative Department of Harvard Business School, then became a producer of the very successful TV show “ZOOM” at WGBH.

While living in Boston, she met and was married to Charles (Charlie) Eltinge of Boston, Mass. from 1983-2013. They had one daughter, Lindsay Eltinge, of Kauai, Hawaii.

In addition to her daughter, Lindsay, Janet is survived by nephews, Adam Chesick and Sam Chesick of Maui, Hawaii, stepson, Charlie Eltinge of Ludlow, VA and stepdaughter, Amanda Eltinge of Plymouth, Mass.

In 2005 Janet relocated to her present home in Boyce, VA. On September 22, 2018 she married E. Hawley Van Wyck (Trip) at St. James School in Hagerstown, Maryland.

Janet was an avid gardener, yoga student, antique collector, family historian and creator of beauty. She was the conservator of the Thomas Nason Art Collection. Janet was an active volunteer in the art community and on the Board of The Barns of Rosehill.

To view the obituary and send condolences online, please visit www.endersandshirley.com.

From  Elizabeth Spear Graham

It is with profound sadness that I learned of the sudden death of Janet Weaver (Eltinge) on Tuesday April 9.

I worked with Janet as her production assistant on ZOOM in the early ‘70’s. Janet was a pioneer of the ZOOM GUEST series where the focus was on a child who possessed a particular ability and talent.

Later, on the strength of the success of that series, the government funded a grant to produce the series with the sole focus being on children with disabilities, with the purpose being to aid children with special needs in the transition into public classrooms.

Janet took on this rather awesome responsibility brilliantly and with great sensitivity. Janet knew what she wanted and never compromised or settled with less than what she wanted to achieve.  She was a tough producer but one of the kindest and most understanding people I ever had the privilege of working with.

She along with cameraman Tim Hill, Boyd Estes, Dick Williams, Eric Taylor, and others traveled all over the country and we formed a tight knit family.

I have so many fond memories of those days and later Janet became like a member of my own family. We spent many happy times together. She was my oldest son’s Godmother. We have remained friends for all these years and my husband and I have stayed in touch with her and her husband and daughter although we lived on different coasts.

The loss of Janet feels like a loss from a part of my youth but the memories I have are bittersweet solace.  I am so glad she was a part of my life.