Janet "Jan" Hack was born in Chicago in 1932 to Charles and Lorene Finical. She received her teaching degree from Northern Illinois State Teachers College in DeKalb in 1955. Jan taught math in several school districts, became a counselor at Elgin Community College, and spent the last 15 years at Belvidere High School until she retired in 1994.

Jan was previously married to Earl Hack, but later in life, L. Eugene Bellinger became her companion. They enjoyed traveling to New Mexico, Arizona, and Nevada to seek Native American arts and crafts. The two were also movie extras. In retirement, Jan joined the DeKalb Chapter of the Klingon Armada International, a Star Trek fan club/community service organization that raised money for various charities and community projects.

The estate created a Fund in 2000 at the DeKalb County Community Foundation. The Janet Hack Fund for Animal Welfare supports animal welfare causes in DeKalb County and creates a lasting legacy of Janet's love and support for the community.