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The Life of Jane Baker Partlow

 

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Jane Baker Partlow, 96, left this Earth on October 7, 2020, for the Kingdom of Heaven.  Jane began her life’s journey in Dayton, Ohio, where she was a neighbor of Orville Wright.  However, when she was in elementary school, the difficulties of the Great Depression sent her family to Virginia.  While the prosperous life she once knew was gone, she never complained about it – or anything else in life.  Life’s speedbumps were a part of the challenge, and she, like so many of her generation moved forward and got the job done – and done well. 

After attending Mount Vernon Elementary in her Del Ray, Alexandria neighborhood, she went to George Washington High School where she was a cheerleader and basketball player.  She also made many life-long friends and met the love of her life, Bernard “Boonie” Partlow. They were high school sweethearts who married after Boonie returned from the war and they shared many happy decades together.

Jane was a graduate of the Washington School for Secretaries and worked for the American Red Cross in support of our troops during WWII.  After the birth of her sons, Jane became a stay-at-home mom and worked part-time as a secretary in their school, George Mason Elementary.  She knew all the neighborhood children and encouraged them on their way to and from school. Jane also knew the children of Trinity United Methodist Church where she was a faithful and involved member for her entire adult life.  She was active with youth education and taught the importance of Jesus in our lives.

Her love of children came from her sons, Jeff and Wayne Partlow.  She could never use enough superlatives when talking about them, and that feeling extended to her daughters-in-law Kathy (Jeff) and Ann (Wayne) and on to her granddaughters Karen Partlow and Janet Partlow Biddle (Colin).  She was a proud participant in her family’s events and made a “joyful noise” with her cowbell whenever her sons’ or granddaughters’ teams made a good play.  At an early age, Jane taught her granddaughters that life was not always fair but you deal with it.  Do your best and no matter if you win or lose, handle both with grace, and not boasting or whining.

Jane was a people person with an engaging personality. Everyone liked her and she liked them back!  A kindness would likely receive a sincere “Bless You” from her. 

Jane was preceded in death by her parents Kate and Paul Baker and her husband Bernard Erroll Partlow. She was a faithful servant of the Lord and knew that one day she would be reunited with her loved ones in heaven.  While her family and friends mourn her passing, they know that her “cheerleader voice” is part of happy conversations once again.

A visitation will be held at Everly Wheatley Funeral Home in Alexandria, VA, on Thursday, October 15, 2020 from noon to 1:30 p.m., with a graveside service officiated by the Rev. Grace Han to follow at Ivy Hill Cemetery at 2 p.m.  All are invited and both the visitation and service will adhere to strict social-distancing and masked guidelines.

 

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