JANE Wilson Leach passed away Sunday, January 18, 2009 after a brief illness with pneumonia. Her oldest son Jim and his wife Dianna were by her side.
JANE was born November 9, 1910 in Paris, Texas, a few miles from her family home in Fort Towson, Oklahoma to William Ward Wilson and Ollie Biard. Her father was a prominent merchant and banker in Fort Towson. Her mother was a descendant of the founders of Biardstown, Texas, and early teacher and principal at the Wheelock Girls School outside of Valliant, OK. Although the family moved away, upon Mr. Wilson's death in 1924, the family returned many summers to the Wilson home in Fort Towson.
JANE received a B.A. degree in 1932 and an M.A. degree in 1935 from the University of Oklahoma in Norman. Her first teaching post was at Mill Creek near Tishomingo, OK. Her teaching career included five years service at Paris High School, a year at Paris Junior College and two years at a Corpus Christi high school. She also taught at Ponca City, OK, and with the Beaumont, Texas School District where she met her husband, James Henry Leach. They were married on Sept 25, 1942 in Dallas, Texas, while Jim was on a 3-day pass from the US Army. After Jim returned from the European Theatre in July 1945, they lived briefly in Fort Towson, OK. Jim and Jane were sitting on the east porch with her mother after supper when the radio announced the end of WWII with the surrender of Japan.
In October 1945 they began a new chapter of their life when the US Immigration Service transferred Jim to Laredo, Texas. After her four children were all in school, Jane started her teaching career again as the fifth grade teacher at United Day School in Laredo. In August 1964 she accepted a position as a full-time English instructor at Laredo Junior College. Jane inspired many students with her insight into great American novels such as Moby Dick and Heart of Darkness. Jane retired from teaching in 1979.
Jane and her husband then lived in Nacogdoches, Texas for 15 years. She was an enthusiastic member of the Newcomers Club and an avid bridge player. She has been a resident of Edmond, OK for the past twelve years and a member of the Edmond Church of Christ. She was preceded in death by her husband of 66 years, July 2008, and by her brother William W. Wilson in 1983. She is survived by her four devoted children, Jim Jr., Bill, Katherine and Mick, as well as a niece, Michel Ann Oliver of North Carolina, five grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.
The family will be receiving visitors from 5 to 7 pm on Wednesday at Matthews Funeral Home in Edmond, OK. A memorial service will be held at 2 pm Thursday at the Edmond Church of Christ. Burial services will be held the following day at 11 am at the family plot in Evergreen Cemetery in Paris, Texas.
JANE was born November 9, 1910 in Paris, Texas, a few miles from her family home in Fort Towson, Oklahoma to William Ward Wilson and Ollie Biard. Her father was a prominent merchant and banker in Fort Towson. Her mother was a descendant of the founders of Biardstown, Texas, and early teacher and principal at the Wheelock Girls School outside of Valliant, OK. Although the family moved away, upon Mr. Wilson's death in 1924, the family returned many summers to the Wilson home in Fort Towson.
JANE received a B.A. degree in 1932 and an M.A. degree in 1935 from the University of Oklahoma in Norman. Her first teaching post was at Mill Creek near Tishomingo, OK. Her teaching career included five years service at Paris High School, a year at Paris Junior College and two years at a Corpus Christi high school. She also taught at Ponca City, OK, and with the Beaumont, Texas School District where she met her husband, James Henry Leach. They were married on Sept 25, 1942 in Dallas, Texas, while Jim was on a 3-day pass from the US Army. After Jim returned from the European Theatre in July 1945, they lived briefly in Fort Towson, OK. Jim and Jane were sitting on the east porch with her mother after supper when the radio announced the end of WWII with the surrender of Japan.
In October 1945 they began a new chapter of their life when the US Immigration Service transferred Jim to Laredo, Texas. After her four children were all in school, Jane started her teaching career again as the fifth grade teacher at United Day School in Laredo. In August 1964 she accepted a position as a full-time English instructor at Laredo Junior College. Jane inspired many students with her insight into great American novels such as Moby Dick and Heart of Darkness. Jane retired from teaching in 1979.
Jane and her husband then lived in Nacogdoches, Texas for 15 years. She was an enthusiastic member of the Newcomers Club and an avid bridge player. She has been a resident of Edmond, OK for the past twelve years and a member of the Edmond Church of Christ. She was preceded in death by her husband of 66 years, July 2008, and by her brother William W. Wilson in 1983. She is survived by her four devoted children, Jim Jr., Bill, Katherine and Mick, as well as a niece, Michel Ann Oliver of North Carolina, five grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.
The family will be receiving visitors from 5 to 7 pm on Wednesday at Matthews Funeral Home in Edmond, OK. A memorial service will be held at 2 pm Thursday at the Edmond Church of Christ. Burial services will be held the following day at 11 am at the family plot in Evergreen Cemetery in Paris, Texas.
JANE Wilson Leach passed away Sunday, January 18, 2009 after a brief illness with pneumonia. Her oldest son Jim and his wife Dianna were by her side.
JANE was born November 9, 1910 in Paris, Texas, a few miles from her family home in Fort Towson, Oklahoma to William Ward Wilson and Ollie Biard. Her father was a prominent merchant and banker in Fort Towson. Her mother was a descendant of the founders of Biardstown, Texas, and early teacher and principal at the Wheelock Girls School outside of Valliant, OK. Although the family moved away, upon Mr. Wilson's death in 1924, the family returned many summers to the Wilson home in Fort Towson.
JANE received a B.A. degree in 1932 and an M.A. degree in 1935 from the University of Oklahoma in Norman. Her first teaching post was at Mill Creek near Tishomingo, OK. Her teaching career included five years service at Paris High School, a year at Paris Junior College and two years at a Corpus Christi high school. She also taught at Ponca City, OK, and with the Beaumont, Texas School District where she met her husband, James Henry Leach. They were married on Sept 25, 1942 in Dallas, Texas, while Jim was on a 3-day pass from the US Army. After Jim returned from the European Theatre in July 1945, they lived briefly in Fort Towson, OK. Jim and Jane were sitting on the east porch with her mother after supper when the radio announced the end of WWII with the surrender of Japan.
In October 1945 they began a new chapter of their life when the US Immigration Service transferred Jim to Laredo, Texas. After her four children were all in school, Jane started her teaching career again as the fifth grade teacher at United Day School in Laredo. In August 1964 she accepted a position as a full-time English instructor at Laredo Junior College. Jane inspired many students with her insight into great American novels such as Moby Dick and Heart of Darkness. Jane retired from teaching in 1979.
Jane and her husband then lived in Nacogdoches, Texas for 15 years. She was an enthusiastic member of the Newcomers Club and an avid bridge player. She has been a resident of Edmond, OK for the past twelve years and a member of the Edmond Church of Christ. She was preceded in death by her husband of 66 years, July 2008, and by her brother William W. Wilson in 1983. She is survived by her four devoted children, Jim Jr., Bill, Katherine and Mick, as well as a niece, Michel Ann Oliver of North Carolina, five grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.
The family will be receiving visitors from 5 to 7 pm on Wednesday at Matthews Funeral Home in Edmond, OK. A memorial service will be held at 2 pm Thursday at the Edmond Church of Christ. Burial services will be held the following day at 11 am at the family plot in Evergreen Cemetery in Paris, Texas.
JANE was born November 9, 1910 in Paris, Texas, a few miles from her family home in Fort Towson, Oklahoma to William Ward Wilson and Ollie Biard. Her father was a prominent merchant and banker in Fort Towson. Her mother was a descendant of the founders of Biardstown, Texas, and early teacher and principal at the Wheelock Girls School outside of Valliant, OK. Although the family moved away, upon Mr. Wilson's death in 1924, the family returned many summers to the Wilson home in Fort Towson.
JANE received a B.A. degree in 1932 and an M.A. degree in 1935 from the University of Oklahoma in Norman. Her first teaching post was at Mill Creek near Tishomingo, OK. Her teaching career included five years service at Paris High School, a year at Paris Junior College and two years at a Corpus Christi high school. She also taught at Ponca City, OK, and with the Beaumont, Texas School District where she met her husband, James Henry Leach. They were married on Sept 25, 1942 in Dallas, Texas, while Jim was on a 3-day pass from the US Army. After Jim returned from the European Theatre in July 1945, they lived briefly in Fort Towson, OK. Jim and Jane were sitting on the east porch with her mother after supper when the radio announced the end of WWII with the surrender of Japan.
In October 1945 they began a new chapter of their life when the US Immigration Service transferred Jim to Laredo, Texas. After her four children were all in school, Jane started her teaching career again as the fifth grade teacher at United Day School in Laredo. In August 1964 she accepted a position as a full-time English instructor at Laredo Junior College. Jane inspired many students with her insight into great American novels such as Moby Dick and Heart of Darkness. Jane retired from teaching in 1979.
Jane and her husband then lived in Nacogdoches, Texas for 15 years. She was an enthusiastic member of the Newcomers Club and an avid bridge player. She has been a resident of Edmond, OK for the past twelve years and a member of the Edmond Church of Christ. She was preceded in death by her husband of 66 years, July 2008, and by her brother William W. Wilson in 1983. She is survived by her four devoted children, Jim Jr., Bill, Katherine and Mick, as well as a niece, Michel Ann Oliver of North Carolina, five grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.
The family will be receiving visitors from 5 to 7 pm on Wednesday at Matthews Funeral Home in Edmond, OK. A memorial service will be held at 2 pm Thursday at the Edmond Church of Christ. Burial services will be held the following day at 11 am at the family plot in Evergreen Cemetery in Paris, Texas.
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