Dear family and friends
We would like you to feel that you are able to come along and join us in the thanksgiving service – no matter which faith or no faith group you belong to. We are on a mission to honour Jane, and
the service will aim to be a celebration of Jane’s very full life, and will be inclusive of the many people she helped, connected with and loved – her family, work, pastoral care and international roles.
There will be plenty of time afterwards to share together for those who wish to stay. Moortown Baptist Church has a very informal building, congregation and ethos – it is very inviting! We promise you that you will not feel at all uncomfortable. You are so welcome to join us.
We are so grateful for the loving responses and depth of care which has been shown to us at such a difficult time, from family, church family, international family and community, reflecting
the many people at home and worldwide who were touched by Jane.
We have had an overwhelming number of heartfelt responses, reflecting the love for Jane and esteem for her. Some of these will be included in the service. This is not the end!
I can’t express how precious Jane is to me (to us), how much I love her and how greatly I respect her, and I will do all in my power to honour her – as I said, we are on a mission to honour her!
She is at rest now after a very difficult year, but a year where she continued to be as focussed as ever on family and others in our church and community. I could not stop her – and would not want to, it was her life. Jane continued every day to follow Jesus, her Lord, and to give herself away to others, being kind to all she met often despite her own pain. I am humbled by such devotion, which I hope encourages all of us to do the same.
Her journey here is finished – but the impact of her life will most certainly continue, and grow. We encourage any donations, including those in lieu of flowers, to be made to Wheatfields Hospice in Leeds (one of the Sue Ryder hospices) where Jane and Phil’s daughter Charlotte worked as a palliative care nurse until her early death in 2014.
Charlotte and her husband Richard both died too young, leaving their son Samuel in the loving care of Jane and Phil, who donated the funds to install a memory tree at Wheatfields giving loved ones one way of remembering and honouring those they had lost.
Jane’s first book, Encounters and Journeys a devotional collection of her weekly encouragements to those undertaking pastoral care, was given away, but donations were requested for Wheatfields. Copies of this book will be available at the Thanksgiving service for Jane. Her sequel book is finished and being prepared for printing. Donation details will be available at the service.
With love,
Phil Coates & family