Obituary of Jane E. Christian

NORTHFIELD - Jane Ellen Christian, 92, passed away Monday, Feb. 20, at the Northfield Hospital Long Term Care Center, surrounded in love by her family as well as caring and engaged staff. Born in Richmond, Va., Aug. 2, 1924, to Lawrence Russell Bowe and Florence Helen (Beatty) Bowe, she moved to a farm near Castle Rock at the onset of the Great Depression. During World War II, she held factory, office, and medical secretary jobs. On March 10, 1946, she married Clayton R. Christian, a Class of 1942 Northfield High School classmate who had returned home from 11 islands in 12 months in the Army Air Corps in the Pacific Theater. They settled in the village of Waterford, where they lived until 2003, when Clayton died. Jane worked as a driver and bookkeeper in the family's Waterford-based businesses: auto repair, wrecker, school bus, and ambulance; she ran her home farm after her parents' retirement until her own at age 62. She also was bookkeeper for her daughter's restaurants and babysat for her son's four children. During the civil rights era of the 1960s and '70s, Jane became politically engaged as a social activist. She campaigned for third party candidates and wrote for a socialist labor newspaper. She authored letters to the editor of The Northfield News and Twin Cities papers over several decades. Jane was active in community affairs throughout her life. Waterford was at the center - Farmers Club, Ladies Aid, 4-H, Sunday School, 500 Club. She was active in the Northfield Senior Center and volunteered at the food shelf. She and Clayton were active in Northfield's People for Peace and Goodwill. After Clayton's death, Jane resided at Three Links in Northfield until moving into the care center in 2012. In addition to Clayton, she was preceded in death by her only sibling, sister Margaret Sellers. She is survived by children Carol James (Michael Moss), Alexandria, Va., and Casey Christian (Margaret), Owatonna; four grandchildren (Katie Maki, Matthew Christian, Anna Eckerman and Sandra Justice); nine great grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews, as well as extended and chosen family. Jane's life and legacy will be celebrated 4 p.m., Sunday, July 16, at The Grand, Northfield. Ashes will be interred at Red Rose Cemetery, Waterford.