| Bruington-Jenkins-Sturgeon Funeral Home P.O. Box 546, 205 High Street Brandenburg, KY 40108 Phone: (270) 422-2115 Fax: (270) 422-2117 E-Mail: bjsfhome@bbtel.com |
| Jane Marlow Willis |
Jane Marlow Willis of Brandenburg, Kentucky died suddenly on Wednesday evening February 17, 2010.
She was the only child of James Mercer Willis and Thelma Marlow Willis, born March 8, 1942. Jane is
survived by her cats Martin and Thomas. She also was survived by two aunts and by several cousins.
Jane graduated from Meade County High School in 1959 as a National Merit Finalist. She graduated from
Southern Methodist University in 1964 with a degree in Journalism. She then returned home to start
working with her parents at the Meade County Messenger. In 1966 she won a Mark Ethridge Fellowship
and studied literature and dramatic arts at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Later that year
she took a class in torts at the University of Louisville School of Law. In 1970 Jane became president of
the Western Kentucky Press Association. She served as a judge on several state and regional newspaper
contests, and won several prizes, usually for her efforts in open records problems.
On April 3, 1974 a major tornado outbreak sent a twister roaring through Brandenburg at the beginning of
the outbreak. Jane was the contact with both state and national media covering the tornado. She did this
while dealing with major damage to both the Messenger office and her home, living in a HUD trailer until
August.
In 1975 Jane took a 20-hour fire training class with the Brandenburg Fire Department and soon became an
active member of the department. In 1976 she began taking college courses in fire science, and in 1979
received her second bachelor’s degree, a BS in Fire Prevention and Control.
The Willises were frequent participants the National Newspaper Association’s Government Affairs
Workshops in Washington. In 1980, Jane attended a NNA Study Mission to Cuba, and in 1981, went on a
similar trip to Ireland and Northern Ireland. In 1983, she participated in an NNA Study Mission to the
countries of Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, and other Southeast Asian areas of
Burma and Hong Kong.
In 1983 Jane and Thelma sold The Messenger to Chris McGehee, a native Meade Countian. Jane then
returned to EKU and completed work on her master’s degree in Criminal Justice in 1985, going to Britain
for a summer as part of that program. She then worked for Rust Engineering in Oak Ridge, Tennessee as
a technical writer, but was uncomfortable working even in a small way toward the production of nuclear
weapons so she reactivated her Peace Corps application. In November, 1986 she left for the Solomon
Islands where she was a community education advisor, and later information officer for Western Province.
For her project of collecting books for the primary schools of New Georgia, Jane won the Sargent Shriver
Peace Worker Award.
In 1992, Jane reapplied to Peace Corps to be a part of working with the formerly Communist world, and
was sent to Albania, where she served as a small business advisor 1993 – 94.
Jane also started her own small business, Wordsmith, where she is a writer, mainly producing resumes.
In 1996, she went to Bosnia-Herzegovena as an election supervisor. She was stationed at Visoko, near
Sarajevo. She returned to Bosnia as a polling supervisor, being stationed in Prnjavor, near Banja Luka in
the Republic Srpska.
Jane cared for her mother as she needed more help and after her mother’s death, Jane went to Thailand to
teach English at a Catholic school there, staying in Thailand for three years.
Jane was also an active member of the Ambrose Meador Chapter of the DAR, currently serving as
Regent. She was also for many years a member of Mensa (the high IQ group).
Jane, like her mother, has donated her body to the University of Louisville. A memorial service will be held
at a date to be announced.
A Memorial Service will be held Sunday, April 11, 2010 at 2 P.M. EDT at the Brandenburg United
Methodist Church. Visitation will be from 1-2 P.M., at the church.
She was the only child of James Mercer Willis and Thelma Marlow Willis, born March 8, 1942. Jane is
survived by her cats Martin and Thomas. She also was survived by two aunts and by several cousins.
Jane graduated from Meade County High School in 1959 as a National Merit Finalist. She graduated from
Southern Methodist University in 1964 with a degree in Journalism. She then returned home to start
working with her parents at the Meade County Messenger. In 1966 she won a Mark Ethridge Fellowship
and studied literature and dramatic arts at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Later that year
she took a class in torts at the University of Louisville School of Law. In 1970 Jane became president of
the Western Kentucky Press Association. She served as a judge on several state and regional newspaper
contests, and won several prizes, usually for her efforts in open records problems.
On April 3, 1974 a major tornado outbreak sent a twister roaring through Brandenburg at the beginning of
the outbreak. Jane was the contact with both state and national media covering the tornado. She did this
while dealing with major damage to both the Messenger office and her home, living in a HUD trailer until
August.
In 1975 Jane took a 20-hour fire training class with the Brandenburg Fire Department and soon became an
active member of the department. In 1976 she began taking college courses in fire science, and in 1979
received her second bachelor’s degree, a BS in Fire Prevention and Control.
The Willises were frequent participants the National Newspaper Association’s Government Affairs
Workshops in Washington. In 1980, Jane attended a NNA Study Mission to Cuba, and in 1981, went on a
similar trip to Ireland and Northern Ireland. In 1983, she participated in an NNA Study Mission to the
countries of Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, and other Southeast Asian areas of
Burma and Hong Kong.
In 1983 Jane and Thelma sold The Messenger to Chris McGehee, a native Meade Countian. Jane then
returned to EKU and completed work on her master’s degree in Criminal Justice in 1985, going to Britain
for a summer as part of that program. She then worked for Rust Engineering in Oak Ridge, Tennessee as
a technical writer, but was uncomfortable working even in a small way toward the production of nuclear
weapons so she reactivated her Peace Corps application. In November, 1986 she left for the Solomon
Islands where she was a community education advisor, and later information officer for Western Province.
For her project of collecting books for the primary schools of New Georgia, Jane won the Sargent Shriver
Peace Worker Award.
In 1992, Jane reapplied to Peace Corps to be a part of working with the formerly Communist world, and
was sent to Albania, where she served as a small business advisor 1993 – 94.
Jane also started her own small business, Wordsmith, where she is a writer, mainly producing resumes.
In 1996, she went to Bosnia-Herzegovena as an election supervisor. She was stationed at Visoko, near
Sarajevo. She returned to Bosnia as a polling supervisor, being stationed in Prnjavor, near Banja Luka in
the Republic Srpska.
Jane cared for her mother as she needed more help and after her mother’s death, Jane went to Thailand to
teach English at a Catholic school there, staying in Thailand for three years.
Jane was also an active member of the Ambrose Meador Chapter of the DAR, currently serving as
Regent. She was also for many years a member of Mensa (the high IQ group).
Jane, like her mother, has donated her body to the University of Louisville. A memorial service will be held
at a date to be announced.
A Memorial Service will be held Sunday, April 11, 2010 at 2 P.M. EDT at the Brandenburg United
Methodist Church. Visitation will be from 1-2 P.M., at the church.
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| February 17, 2010 |
| Bruington-Jenkins-Sturgeon Funeral Home |
| Serving our community for 75 Years! |
