Verna Jane Montegar

Verna Jane Montegar passed away on December 15, 2018, nine days before her 90th birthday. She was born on December 24, 1928, in Newark, New Jersey. Because she was born on Christmas Eve, Jane’s parents placed her under the tree on Christmas morning so that her brother, who had asked for a sister for Christmas, could meet her for the first time. Jane truly was a gift to her family and continued to be a gift to all who knew her throughout her life. Despite growing up in the Great Depression, Jane never felt poor, as she most valued the love of her family. She built her life and her own family around her sense of love and connection. She met her husband, Donald Montegar at a gas station, and they were later married in 1952, initially living under an alias while Don was undercover with the FBI. Jane spent most of her adult life in Georgia and Florida. She and Don had one daughter, Carol, and three granddaughters, Christy, Melissa, and Brianna. Jane was a wonderful wife, mother, daughter, grandmother, and friend. She was always filled with sunshine and happiness, and she made life brighter and better for everyone around her. She used to sit on the floor with her grandkids and play whatever games they wanted to play with endless patience. Not wanting to miss any special moments, she traveled from Florida to Virginia frequently to support her grandchildren in their accomplishments, big and small. She couldn’t go a day without humming cheerfully to herself and made any activity fun just by being herself. She never said things that would hurt others, wishing only to lift and encourage those around her. She appreciated the smallest efforts and took time to thank people and make them feel special for their contributions. She taught Sunday School at St. Michael’s on Siesta Key for over 20 years with Sister Leah. She was strengthened and guided by her faith and felt a close relationship with and trust in Jesus. She truly embodied God’s love for others. Jane also loved nature, and one of her passions was gardening. She was a member of the garden club and carried her love for gardening with her throughout her life. Even in recent years when she was no longer able to plant them herself, she looked at flowers every chance she got and brought new plants home so she could be surrounded by their beauty. She equally loved the beach, whether she was walking by the water or just taking in the sunset. Like her mother, Jane loved animals, and she regularly sat at the window to watch their antics. She never missed a detail and knew all the birds, squirrels, lizards, fish, and other animals that came around the house regularly. It is wonderful that she passed this sensitivity and love of nature on to her daughter and granddaughters. Jane’s main work in life was loving people and creating an atmosphere of kindness and nurturing around her. Her family joked that she couldn’t even go to the grocery store without getting into deep conversations with strangers. She was easy to open up to because people could tell she really cared about them. She always had time for people, and she made everyone around her feel safe, special, and worthwhile. She reminded her friends and family to have fun and to delight in life’s little quirks. Jane’s spirit is so entwined with the nature she loved that her home and property hum with the energy of peace and healing to all who visit. Her legacy lives on in the hearts of those who were shaped by her love. Jane was preceded in death by her husband, Don, and is survived by her daughter, Carol, and granddaughters Christy, Melissa, and Brianna. A service will be held in her memory at St. Michael’s the Archangel Catholic Church on Siesta Key on Wednesday, December 26, 2018 at 11:00am.

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Verna Jane Montegar

December 24, 1928 - December 15, 2018