Jana Hurt Harston

Jana Lynn Hurt Harston, born May 29, 1955, in Scottsville, Kentucky, died of pancreatic cancer in Charlotte, North Carolina, on March 10, 2026.

Born and raised in Allen County, Jana cherished her Kentucky roots and returned often with Phil, her high school sweetheart. This spring would have marked 54 years together. She delighted in everyday moments with a joyful heart and cheerful optimism, loved traveling the world, and found great peace on the porch of their High Meadows home overlooking the North Carolina mountains. A lifelong sports enthusiast, she cheered enthusiastically for her teams, first as a school cheerleader and later as a devoted Panthers and Hornets fan.

Jana found her deepest joy in family. She was a loving mother to Drew, a cherished Nana to her grandsons, and a beloved Aunt Jana to many. She was a serious competitor at cards, golf, and mahjong, an active member of Charlotte’s Garden Club, and a longtime participant at Providence Baptist Church, where she served as pianist for the children’s choirs and as a fifth-grade Sunday School teacher. She will be remembered for her thoughtful handwritten notes, her famous beef tenderloin dinners, and her chocolate ganache cake.

She was predeceased by her parents, Billie Wayne Hurt and Jeanne Albright Hurt, and her brother, Todd Hurt. Jana is survived by her husband of 47 years, Dr. Phillip Reed Harston; her son, Dr. Drew Harston, and his wife, Rev. Dr. Carol Harston; her grandsons, James, Collier, and Walter Harston; and her sister, Julie Hurt.