Jane Barnes Dolbin

Jane Barnes Dolbin, affectionately known as Mom, Mom Mom and J-Bird, passed away peacefully at home in Arlington, Virginia on May 17 surrounded, in person and in spirit, by those who love her dearly.  She stoically endured a long battle with a rare degenerative brain disease named Posterior Cortical Atrophy (PCA).  A disease that robbed her of so much, but not of her sweet, caring spirit and sense of humor.  On her worst of days and until the end, her grandchildren's voices could make her smile and even chuckle.  Truly music to her ears.

Jane is the second child to Luke and Mimi Barnes, a PGA Head Golf Professional and a homemaker, born on December 20,1947 in Atlanta, Georgia.  In 1950, her father accepted a position at the Roanoke Country Club in Roanoke, Virginia where Jane grew up and fell in love with the Blue Ridge Mountains and all things Virginian, especially the roasted redskin peanuts.  Her father, Luke, coached the 1987 Master's Champion.  A fact she was so proud to share about him. Her siblings, Karen, Mark, Richard and the late Jennifer Lynn Barnes are very close and love each other well.  She and her sister, Jenny, were dear friends in life and passed away ten weeks apart.  Jenny always said that “Jane would come and get me" when she was a child and needed comforting.  We believe Jenny convinced Jane to join her in her new blissful home in the sky.  We are comforted to know they are together again along with Jane's husband, Jack T. Dolbin, her parents, her grandson, Jeremiah Dolbin Pillus, many dear friends, and her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Jane was a devout Christian and it makes us smile to know she met her Savior with a warm embrace last week.  She is whole again and free.  

Jane graduated from Cave Springs High School, Roanoke in 1966 and attended Wake Forest University (Go Deacs!) where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Education and a Master's Degree in Physical Education.  She was a Varsity cheerleader for the Demon Deacons, the only member of the female gymnastics team (and she was "GOOD" says a friend), and a member of the Laurels' Society intramural basketball team.  It was at Wake where she met her future husband, Jack, who was a member of the varsity football team.  They married in July, 1970 in Roanoke and had four children, Josh, Jill, Rachel and Christian.

Jane's husband Jack's academic aspirations took them to Chicago, IL where he obtained a Doctorate in Chiropractic Medicine and where they had their first child. Later, Jack’s football career with the Denver Broncos took them to Denver, Colorado where Jane instantly felt at home in the Rocky Mountains and where the rest of their children were born.  There is no bigger fan of Wake Forest athletics or the Denver Broncos than Jane.  You could regularly hear her loudly cheering for her teams throughout her home.  It was infectious and two allegiances she passed on to her children and grandchildren.  After their adventure in Denver ended, Jane and Jack moved their family to Jack's hometown of Pottsville, PA where they ultimately raised their children.

Jane was passionate about cooking great food, caring for her large, beautiful home and vast garden, but most of all, her family.  She loved and adored all children, especially her own and her grandchildren.  She served us all so well with her huge heart, unmatched patience, gentle nature, kind and thoughtful words and unwavering loyalty and devotion to her family and friends alike.  She loved to chat it up with anyone that came in her door.  They'd be there for hours.  She was quick to laugh and found dry humor the funniest.  Jane loved the ocean and would hunt for seashells, rocks and seaglass for hours. She particularly loved to find ones shaped like a heart, a tradition she passed down to her family.  She had a heart for abused women, especially single mothers and regularly would donate time and goods to Schuylkill Women in Crisis (SWiC) now Schuylkill Hope Center, Pottsville.  Once she became an empty nester, she spent many of her hours writing to her sponsor children through Compassion International.  She began horseback riding as a form of therapy for her disease and she found much comfort around those big, sweet animals.  Her children would regularly bring home stray dogs or cats and Jane never once turned one away.  She fell in love quickly with them all.  She loved to listen to Hits from the 50s and 60s, James Taylor, The Carpenters, John Denver, Peter Paul and Mary, The Chicks, Traditional Hymns and new age gospel to name a few.  She had chocolate stashed in all corners of her home and never turned down ice cream. Ever!

Jane is survived by her son, Joshua Luke (wife Jennifer), New Ringgold, PA, daughter Jill Marie Dolbin, Brentwood, TN, daughter Rachel Dolbin Schreiner (husband Chris), Arlington, VA, daughter Christian Lee Dolbin, Pottsville, PA.  Grandchildren; John Tice III (JT), Rebekah June, Joshua Luke, Jr., Noah Russell, Marshall Tice, Payson Jane, James Bowman, Bennett Lee, Elizabeth (Libby) Mimi and Dylan Victoria. Her siblings; Karen B. Visser (husband Nicholas), Baltimore, MD, L. Mark Barnes (wife Molly), Cumming, GA, Richard H. Barnes (wife Carla Shute), Evanston, IL.  Nieces and nephews; Katie Larkin, Jennifer Vassil, Anne Nicholson, Paul Barnes, Sarah Barnes, Nathaniel Barnes and many great nieces and nephews.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, September 10 at Noon Trinity Lutheran Church, 300 W Arch St, Pottsville, PA.  Visiting hours from 10 AM until the time of service.  A small family service will be held at St. Paul's Cemetery in Whitesburg, GA at an earlier date.

Donations can be made in Jane's memory to Schuylkill Hope Center (formerly Schuylkill Women in Crisis) Pottsville, PA, by going online to schopecenter.org under "What You Can Do" and then "Ways to Give," or by check made out to Schuylkill Hope Center, P.O Box 96, Pottsville, PA 17901.  Or to the Ruth Steinert Memorial SPCA at rsmspca.org "How to Help" then "Donate Now" or send a check to P.O Box 332, Schuylkill Haven, PA, 17972.  

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Jane Barnes Dolbin, please visit our floral store.