Jane Karen (Jellison) Duggan

Jane Karen (Jellison) Duggan died peacefully amongst family on July 10th. She was 77 years old.

Jane was a lifelong resident of Reading, Massachusetts. She grew up on Salem Street, as one of the four Jellison kids: Judi, Joyce, Jane, and Jay. Jane and her husband Gerry would raise their family on Prescott Street in Reading, a home that was a haven to their family, friends, and sometimes strangers -- a home that provided a couch and a cup of soup to their children's friends (sometimes when their children weren't even home!)

Jane and Gerry met at Salem State College, where they both studied to be teachers. After marrying at Saint Agnes Church, their first home together was a small apartment attached to the Parker Tavern, a historical house museum on Washington Street. Their rental deal included museum duties and provided close proximity to the Reading historical district, where they would buy their family home. They raised three children -- Jennifer, Matthew, and Sean -- in this very tight-knit neighborhood, where they made wonderful friends.

Jane remained very involved with Saint Agnes Church. Prescott Street provided easy walking access to Saint Agnes, and on more than one occasion Jane "jumped the fence" separating the neighbor's yard and the Woburn Street lower school, in her efforts to get her family to Mass on time. At Saint Agnes and the Prayer Meeting she built some of the dearest and longest-lasting friendships of her life. These friends parented and prayed together, took on social justice and economic justice missions, and were not averse to a little player-piano karaoke on Prescott Street. They had wonderful times in Enfield, New Hampshire and Wellfleet, Massachusetts.

Jane and Gerry benefitted from working within the academic calendar and were able to provide wonderful summers for their children. A family cottage at Pine Terrace in Windham, New Hampshire ensured that fun times would be had with Gerry's side of the family, along with friends he had since childhood. In the 70s, Jane's mother and her sister Judi bought and worked tirelessly on a former inn in Wells, Maine. Intended to be a place to ensure family closeness and to build shared memories, "Magnolia," with its "Carriage House," was Jane's favorite place in the world. Jane and Gerry spent as much time there as possible. Jane and Gerry also loved traveling to Puerto Rico and to Jensen Beach, Florida.

When her children became more independent, Jane decided to make church ministry her life's work. She earned a Master's Degree in Pastoral Ministry at Boston College. She provided an understanding of, and positive experience with, Church for countless young people through her work as a Director of Religious Education at Saint John the Evangelist in Winthrop, Saint Thomas Church in Wilmington, and Saint Athanasius in Reading. In her later work as Pastoral Associate at Saint Athanasius, Jane felt called to minister to people during end-of-life. This calling brought her next door to the Sawtelle Family Hospice House, where she worked as chaplain for many years.

Jane's starring role was as mother and grandmother. She instilled in her children the values of fairness and kindness, and the importance of "experiences over belongings." She encouraged creativity and self-acceptance. She was a relentless advocate for her children and for the many other young people she loved. Jane and Gerry were the type of grandparents who had a "toy room," but also smiled as regiments of army men stormed coffee tables, plays were written and performed in the living room, and signs for tomorrow's lemonade stand were piled with markers and cups on the dining room table. Their lives as parents and grandparents included tremendous loss and incalculable joy.

While it was difficult to say goodbye to their home on Prescott Street, Jane and Gerry were warmly welcomed at Summit Towers in Reading and have loved living in such a neighborly place.

Jane leaves her loving husband Gerald to whom she was married for 54 years. Jane was the mother of Jennifer Duggan Albanese and her husband Charles, Matthew James Duggan (deceased) and his wife Jacqueline and Sean Duggan and his wife Beth. Jane was the grandmother or "Nanny" of Nicole Albanese, Peter Albanese, John Duggan, Mary Duggan, Martha Duggan, Ailish Duggan, Patrick Duggan, Jayson Duggan, and the late Matthew James and Dale Marie Duggan. Jane is also survived by a number of nieces and nephews whom she cherished.

Funeral from the Doherty – Barile Family Funeral Home, 11 Linden Street READING Friday, July 16th at 9:30am followed by a Funeral Mass Celebrating Jane's Eternal Life in Saint Agnes Church, 186 Woburn Street Reading at 10:30am.

For those who are unable to attend in person, the Mass will be streamed at https://readingcatholic.org/funeral.

Family and friends are cordially invited to gather and share memories with Jane's Family on Thursday, July 15th from 4-7pm in the Funeral Home. Parking attendants and elevator are available. Interment Charles Lawn Memorial Park, Reading.

In lieu of flowers the Duggan family requests donations be made in Jane's name to the Mission of Deeds of Reading, 6 Chapin Avenue, Reading, Massachusetts 01867.

For more information, www.facebook.com/BarileFamilyFuneralHome