Memorial
Jane Ellen Smith, 60, of West Lafayette, Indiana, died peacefully at home on May 4, 2024, following a three-year battle with glioblastoma. A Catholic mass will be held in Jane’s honor at 10:00 am on Thursday, May 16, at St. John the Evangelist Church in Lawrence, Kansas. On Saturday, May 18, at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a visitation will be held from 9:00-11:00 am, followed by a burial service at 11:00 am with a reception following.
Jane was born in Iowa City, Iowa, and received her B.A. degree in English at Iowa State University. She received her M.A. in English at the University of Kansas, where she also met her lifelong friend, Anne Farmer. She lived in Lawrence, Kansas for 25 years where she raised her children and enjoyed sailing, archery, and Jayhawks basketball. Jane loved being a mom. From sewing her kids’ Halloween costumes, to reading books on the front porch on summer evenings, to cheering her kids on in their many activities, Jane raised her children with imagination, playfulness, and unwavering love and support. She said that as a parent, nothing made her happier than seeing her children happy.
From 2013 to 2018 Jane taught English at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, and she often described her experiences there as life changing. In 2018 she was accepted to Purdue University’s prestigious rhetoric and composition PhD program in West Lafayette, Indiana. She was awarded a fellowship for the first year of her program and completed her PhD coursework. Although her cancer diagnosis required her to put her program on hold, Jane continued to discuss and organize her dissertation plan. She fulfilled the requirements for a graduate concentration in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, and her research interests were feminist rhetoric, composition theory, ethical teaching, and the concept of teaching virtue. As a PhD student, Jane was a respected member of Purdue’s English department where she taught first-year composition and business writing, and she also served as Assistant Director of the Rhetoric and Composition program for two semesters.
Jane was a natural teacher; from her childhood love of setting up school activities for her two younger sisters, to teaching professional writing at the university level, she could impart knowledge creatively and clearly to any audience. She was a thoughtful and insightful critic, able to offer feedback to help both students and colleagues improve their writing. Her student evaluations always mentioned her approachability, kindness, and humor. This is also why Jane had so many friends from every stage of life. She kept in touch with friends from childhood to college, from when she was a mom raising her children, to every job she has ever had. People were drawn to Jane and reached out to her; even acquaintances regularly stayed in touch.
Jane was a champion Scrabble player and loved challenging anyone to a friendly game. She enjoyed singing, drawing, crafting, finding creative uses for everyday household items, and savoring her favorite snack of chocolate and Pepsi. Jane’s spirit will live on through her family and friends. We have all learned from her how to ask caring questions that engage others, how to embrace and be confident in our individuality, and how to appreciate Iowa sweet corn. We will always think of her when we hear James Taylor singing.
She is survived by her partner, Susan Wegener of West Lafayette, children Katie Smith (Peter Lesslie) of Chicago, Maryanne Smith (Graham Jaenicke) of Atlanta, and Mark Smith of Denver. Jane is also survived by her parents, Dan and Karen Trimble, sisters Beth Blunt (Jonathan) and Deb Cassill (Jay), former husband Randy Smith, and many friends and colleagues.
In lieu of flowers, Jane’s family encourages donations to Guest House Chicago (https://guesthousechicago.org) and/or to the West Lafayette Fire Department.