Jane Smith

Jane passed away peacefully on July 24, surrounded by family. She was 82. Born to parents Onie and James, Jane was raised on a small farm without indoor plumbing. She told wonderful stories of growing up in rural Gretna, Virginia and always said “It was a wonderful life.” Jane and her older sister Ida Mae went to Duke University for nursing school where Jane met her first husband Richard. They married and moved to Chicago and then to Glencoe, Illinois, where they raised four fabulous children. Jane and Richard divorced in 1977, but remained close. With her second husband Neil, Jane enjoyed traveling and hosting wonderful parties. They moved to Boulder, Colorado in 2004 where Neil passed away in 2006. During her career, Jane worked as an emergency room nurse, a nursing home administrator, head of a hospital oncology unit, and a pharmacy consultant. She retired at 71.

Jane was generous and full of love. She had a wonderful sense of humor, a zeal for fun and laughter, and an amazing capacity to make people feel welcome and appreciated. All of these qualities shone through even as she struggled with dementia in later years. She never missed an opportunity to give someone a big hug and a smooch on the lips. Her passing leaves a huge hole in the lives of those she loved, but so much of her lives on in her children, grandchildren, and many others who she touched. Jane will be forever remembered for her graciousness, her elegance, her love, her humor, and her ice cream cake.

Jane is survived by her children Michael (Julie), Sharon, Kenneth (Mary), Stephen (Wendy), stepson Doug (Jill), Ginny; and grandchildren, Hannah, Josh, Kate, Max, Sam, Dale and Ashley; her siblings Ida Mae (Stanley), Marjorie (Reuben), Gladys (Bob), James (Emilie), Delano (Betty); her first husband Richard; and countless cousins, nieces, nephews, and adoring friends.

Jane’s family would especially like to thank her caregivers who provided lots of loving care and devotion.

Jane’s family has established an endowment fund in her memory to support nursing and medical scholarships. If desired, in lieu of flowers, tax deductible contributions may be made via check payable to “BCH Foundation.” Please write “Jane W. Meyer Smith Endowment” on the check memo line and send to Boulder Community Health Foundation, P.O. Box 9019, Boulder, CO, 80301. A celebration of Jane’s life will be held in Colorado and in Virginia in the coming months. To contact Jane’s family please email janesmithmemorial@gmail.com.