(Nellie) Jane Washburn Grant

(Nellie) Jane Washburn Grant

DOVER-FOXCROFT – (Nellie) Jane Washburn Grant, 91, passed away Saturday, March 19, 2016, after a brief illness. Jane, born March 2, 1925, was the seventh of nine children of Fred and Hattie Washburn of Dover-Foxcroft and the loving wife of Herbert N. Grant, who passed in 2012.

She is survived by one sister and brother-in-law, Carolyn and Oscar Olson of Pittsfield, MA; one brother, Dr. Richard Washburn of Gig Harbor, WA; and three sisters-in-law, Arlene Grant of Augusta, Myra Grant of Dover-Foxcroft and Tillie Grant of North Falmouth, MA; and by numerous nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by brother, Frank Washburn; brother and sister-in-law, Bob and Norma Washburn; sisters and brothers-in-law, Charlotte and Leon Palmer, Metella and Dwight Woodworth, Berta and Tom Fitzgerald, and Mabel and Keith Parkman, as well as in-laws, Ken and Ruth Grant, Erlon Grant, Lyle Grant and Ray Knight. She was also predeceased by her first grandson, Wayne Farrington Grant.

Jane’s greatest legacy, besides her boundless energy and inexhaustible sense of humor, is her large and loving family. She is survived by eight sons and their wives and a daughter: Bruce and Nancy Grant, Ted and Sue Grant, Ken and Sue Grant, Jeff and Janet Grant, and Julie (Grant) Knowlton, all of Dover-Foxcroft, Richard and Nancy Grant, and Gary and Jackie Grant of Glenburn, Mark and Vicki Grant of Hermon, and Scott and Kerry Grant of Derry, NH. Jane also had 30 grandchildren; 41 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren; and her family continues to increase.

Jane was a hard-working farm wife. Although as a girl she said that she would never marry a farmer, when she fell in love with the handsome man driving the tractor that pulled the potato digger in 1943, she happily married him in 1944, and made a loving home on a dairy farm in Dover-Foxcroft. As she tended her gardens, her children and her cows, she also found time to be active with the Extension Service, serve on the school board and serve as a 4-H leader. Her children grew and the cows moved off the farm and Jane went to work at Eastern States, later named Agway. She left her job there to become a teacher aid in special education, when that was a brand new entity. She enjoyed working with her ‘kids’ and loved taking them to the Special Olympics. It was during this time that she met her very special friend and ‘udder daughter,’ Janice Ellis.

Jane was well-known for welcoming one and all to her farm kitchen table and could feed large numbers of people with humor and grace. Over the years she ‘unofficially adopted’ both friends and family who needed some mothering and loved the title of ‘udder mudder’ bestowed upon her from one and all.

Each summer. Jane’s brothers and sisters would return home for summer vacation. There was nothing she loved more than gathering together with them for supper and a lively game of cards. She told stories and jokes and generally kept everyone in stitches. There was nothing too ridiculous for Jane to do or wear if it would give her friends and family a good laugh. Jane maintained her love of cards right up to the end and would get a few friends together for a game of hand and foot at least once a week. She also continued activities at the YMCA, with the Pine Needle Christmas Club and at her beloved Dover-Foxcroft Congregational Church. For a humble farm wife with no particular claim to fame, Jane’s loving, joyful presence will be missed by her huge family and by the many friends who she considered family.

A celebration of Jane’s life will be held 1 p.m. Saturday, March 26, at the Dover-Foxcroft Congregational Church, West Main Street. Refreshments will be served in the fellowship hall after the service. There will be a graveside service in the summer.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Community Fuel Fund at the Dover-Foxcroft Congregational Church, P.O. Box 328, Dover-Foxcroft, ME 04426 or call 207-564-2872 or to the Washburn Scholarship at Foxcroft Academy, 975 W Main St, Dover-Foxcroft, ME 04426 or to Special Olympics. Arrangements are in the care of the Lary Funeral Home. Condolences and memories may be expressed at www.laryfuneralhome.com.