Jane Thompson

On February 15, Jane H . Thompson , 94, a Lynnfield resident of 63 years, formerly of Stoneham, died peacefully in her home overlooking Sagamore Spring Golf Club which was built by her father and uncle in the 1920's and of which she was an owner at the time of her death.
The daughter of Alfa Bradford Childs and Albert I. Strobel, Jane was raised in Stoneham. Her excellence in academics, athletics and theatre contributed to her being awarded the McDonald Medal for "scholarship, character and having the best influence on the school" at the Stoneham High School graduation of 1934. She graduated from Mount Holyoke College in 1938 taking her junior year at the University of Paris. At Holyoke she was a class president, an all college Lacrosse player, an actress and Winter Carnival queen.
She taught at Beaver Country Day and at Low-Heywood School in Stamford, Ct. She was in France preparing to take up a teaching position when France declared war on Germany on Sept. 3, 1939. It was not until 2 months later that she was able to book passage home in convoy from Bordeaux.
Jane married Army Air Corps Lt. William C. Thompson in 1942. Bill predeceased her in 2008 after 67 years of marriage. She is survived by her 3 children and their spouses; Nancy and David Reid of Reading, William A. Thompson and Frances Fleming of Lynnfield, and Betsy and Gerald Brown also of Lynnfield. She was the beloved Nana of Jeffrey and Christopher Lindgren; Jennifer, Juliana and Andy Brown; Christina Brown Boling, and Adin and Myles Thompson . She leaves five great grandchildren.
Jane maintained a yearly circulating correspondence with 8 Mount Holyoke classmates for over 50 years. Those letters chronicle a happy marriage and the nurturing of children and grandchildren in changing times and being involved in community life. She shuttled her children to and from myriad activities and attended countless sporting events. She was a lifelong fan of the Red Sox and Bruins. She tutored Lynnfield students in French and Latin and did work at Sagamore where her husband was President and General Manager. After the children had grown she and Bill bought and enjoyed timeshares on Sanibel and Hilton Head Islands in the winter and a summer home on Nantucket. They made numerous trips to Europe. The focus of their travels was Bill's painting and socializing with family and friends, old and new.
Throughout a long life Jane was a member of the Congregational Church and an Eisenhower Republican. She was a trim, beautiful, calm, loving, encouraging and nonjudgmental presence for her children and grandchildren. When husband Bill was not spending long hours running Sagamore Spring as President and General Manager they were inseparable and their warm regard for each other touched all they met.
A visitation for family and friends will be held at the McDonald-Finnegan Funeral Home, 322 Main St., Stoneham on Friday 2/18 from 6 to 8 p.m. A funeral service will be held at the Center Congregational Church, 1 Summer St., Lynnfield, Saturday, 2/19 at 10:00 am. Burial will be private.
Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to Hospice of the North Shore, 75 Sylvan St., Suite B-102, Danvers, MA 01923.



Read Jane Thompson's Obituary and Guestbook on www.mcdonaldfs.com.

Visitation

McDonald-Finnegan Funeral Home
322 Main Street
Stoneham , MA US 02180
Friday, February 18, 2011, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Service

Centre Congregational Church
5 Summer St.
Lynnfield , MA US 01940
Saturday, February 19, 2011, 10:00 AM

Cemetery

Private