Jane Young, West County native

Jane Mary Young, 84, died peacefully on Jan. 12, after a long,
courageous battle with an insidious illness. A life-long resident
of Sonoma County, Jane was born at home on a ranch near Valley
Ford. While still a toddler, Jane, her sister Grace, and their
parents, Jess and Christina Robertson, moved to a new home in
Guerneville. This is where Jane spent her childhood and youth. In
the ’20s and ’30s, the River area hosted many of the most famous
big bands in the country. Jane loved to dance, and in an era that
can only be viewed with nostalgia, first met her husband-to-be,
Homer, on the ballroom floor. She graduated from Santa Rosa Junior
College in accounting and worked in that capacity for the old White
House in Santa Rosa. Later in life she sold health insurance for a
short time, reveling in traveling about the county, especially in
the spring. She worked for many years as a supervisor for the
California Youth Authority.
Jane had a life-long love of gardening, creating great beauty at
home and visiting many gardens around the world. She was an avid
reader, keen bridge player and hard to beat in any kind of word
game. She was a gifted athlete, talented golfer, and one-time
women’s champion of the Santa Rosa Golf and Country Club. Jane
leaves behind her son, Eric and his wife, Diana, her granddaughter
Kristen and her husband, Earl, her grandson Jess, her great
granddaughter Emma and many friends and relatives. A memorial
service and celebration of good times with Jane will be held at 2
p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 25 at the Vineyard Creek Hotel, 170 Railroad
St., Santa Rosa. Call 636-7100.