Obituaries

Teacher's Bereft Husband Has Specific Request of Funeral Attendees

The family of Chesterfield crash victim Janet Esrock has services planned for Friday.

The family of Whitfield School math teacher Janet Esrock, 50, who died Monday as a result of injuries from an Aug. 26 car crash in Chesterfield, will gather Friday morning for a service at Temple Emanuel.

In a heartfelt statement on CaringBridge.org, the victim's husband, Chuck Esrock, described how the family was painfully "numb" to pat expressions of condolences such as "sorry for your loss" and hopes to avoid more of the same.

He asked those coming to the services to share specifically with family members:

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  • who they are, 
  • why they were there, 
  • and perhaps something special about Janet that they know.

The service will be at the synagogue where the couple was married in 1988, he said.

  • Funeral/Memorial Service Fri., Sept. 16, 10:30 a.m., Temple Emanuel, 12166 Conway Rd., St. Louis, 63141
  • Burial will be private
  • Visitation, Fri., Sept. 16, 2-5 p.m., Whitfield School, Schmitter Gallery, 175 South Mason Rd., St. Louis, 63141
  • Classes are canceled Friday at Whitfield School.

Janet Esrock and her 16-year-old son Jonathan, were injured in a head-on car crash along Wild Horse Creek Road about 10:40 p.m. when they returned home together from a friend's football game.

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The teen was treated at Mercy Hospital and released Sept. 8. Janet Esrock was also treated at Mercy Hospital, but never regained consciousness, 

Family members said the crash occurred when the Esrocks rounded a curve in their 1992 Infinity and were met by a Chevy Tahoe coming the wrong way in their lane of traffic. Firefighters responding worked to extricate the pair from the car. 

The driver of the Tahoe was a 53-year-old man, but has not been identified publicly.

Chesterfield police said alcohol may have been a factor in the crash. St. Louis County prosecutors now have the crash investigation and police said they expect charges to be filed.

According to the Whitfield School website, Janet Esrock was an integral member of the school community, first as volunteer tutor for nearly a decade, then as math teacher for nearly 10 years, more recently as a junior varsity girls field hockey coach, and always as a parent. Her two college-age children graduated from the school, and Jonathan is a sophomore at Whitfield.


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