Janie Lozano Mcghin

Janie Lozano McGhin, 70, passed away on Friday, January 15, 2021, at South Georgia Medical Center from a Covid-19 related illness. Janie was born September 24, 1950, in Acuña, Mexico, to Pablo and Maria Bernal Lozano.
Janie immigrated to the United States from Mexico at the age of six speaking no English. Education was not easy when only English was allowed in school. She dropped out of high school and her life of care giving began as a nurse’s aide in a tuberculosis hospital outside of San Angelo, Texas. She attended night school and went on to become a Licensed Vocational Nurse at age 17.
She met her husband, Robin C. McGhin, Sr., in San Angelo, while he was serving in the U.S. Army. They married a little less than a year later on November 24, 1972. After his military service, the couple moved to Gainesville, Florida, where Janie worked for Shands Hospital.
Janie and Robin moved to Valdosta in 1974, where she went to work in the operating room at South Georgia Medical Center as a LPN. She commuted to Abraham Baldwin College where she received an Associate Degree in Nursing in 1978. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Valdosta State University in 1988 followed by her Master’s degree in 1996 and Post Graduate Certificate as a Nurse Practitioner in 1998.
Over the years, Janie worked at a number of area hospitals and clinics as well two years as the Levi Straus plant nurse. She served as the operating room supervisor at both Brooks County Hospital and Smith Hospital in Hahira. She worked both as an employee and a volunteer at several different migrant clinics.
In 1988, Janie entered the health care education field. She served as the Health Occupations instructor at Valdosta High School thru 1993. She taught Nursing for Abraham Baldwin College from (1993-2000) and Health Care Technology at Lowndes High School (2000-2011). During this time, she influenced a generation of health care professionals. In 2011, she was named the Georgia Health Occupations Teacher of the Year.
While teaching at the High School level, Janie was active in VICA (Vocational Industrial Clubs of America) and HOSA (Health Occupations Student Association) preparing and taking students to regional, state and national competitions. Almost every year her students brought home multiple national awards.
After retirement, Janie worked at various clinics. In 2016, she decided to open her own clinic, Partners in Health Management. She entered and won the 2017 Southwest Georgia Business Plan Competition to help finance her venture. Partners in Health Management provides primary care specializing in diabetes education and management.
In 2018, Janie was recognized on both the state and national levels for her work in the health care field. She was presented with the Outstanding Georgia Nurse Practitioner award by the American Associations of Nurse Practitioners at their annual convention in Atlanta. She was also presented with Caravan Health’s 2018 Population Health Pioneer award for outstanding provider leadership, in Denver, Colorado.
Janie loved her family and adored her grandchildren. She loved her students and patients. She loved the Lord. And Lord, she loved dancing. She was a parishioner at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church.
Janie is survived by her husband, daughter and son-in-law, Amanda and Alan Sanderson, son and daughter-in-law, Rob and Crystal McGhin, and grandchildren Mary Kate Sanderson, Carter McGhin, Austin (Bud) Sanderson, Olivia McGhin, and twins Elizabeth and Charlotte McGhin, all of Valdosta. She is also survived by brothers Lupe Lozano of San Angelo, TX, and Daniel (Rita) Lozano of Elmendorf, TX, and sisters Maria (Jimmy) Tyrrell of Valdosta, Rosa Byrd of Valdosta, Sylvia (Abel) Salazar of San Angelo, TX, and Maria (Jess) Burts of Miramar, FL. She is preceded in death by her parents and a brother Paul Lozano.
Visitation and viewing will be held Wednesday, January 20th from 5-7pm in the chapel of Carson McLane Funeral Home. The funeral service will be held Thursday, January 21st at 1pm at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church with Fr. Brian LaBurt officiating. Masks and social distancing are required at both events. The funeral service will be live streamed on the St. John Catholic Church Facebook page.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the St. Francis Center, 520 E. Mary Street, Valdosta, GA 31601 or the Greater Valdosta United Way. Condolences to the family may be conveyed online at www.mclanecares.com. Carson McLane.