Jane S. Peck

Jane S. Peck slipped peacefully away from us on Monday, April 21, 2025.

Jane was born July 4, 1927 to Charles Briggs Shaver and Martha Bolles Shaver in Nyack, NY. She attended schools in Minoa, Sodus, and Wolcott, NY where she graduated in 1944. She was a member of the University of Rochester Class of ’49 enrolled as a geography major and worked as a payroll check writer for GM Delco in Rochester for 52 cents per hour!

In 1948, she married John J. Peck a student at Penn State. The couple moved to Bath, NY in 1950 where they continued to raise their four children. During the next sixteen years Jane was a 4-H horse club leader, organized the “Southern Strutters” dance team that entertained at local events, held office in the PTA, sang in a church choir and the Corning Philharmonic chorus. Jane re-entered the commercial world in 1964 as a real estate secretary and later as secretary and treasurer of Winters Building Company. In 1966, the family moved to Trumansburg where she worked briefly at the middle school library. Jane became medical office manager and assistant to an Ithaca doctor for 21 years, retiring in 1991.

As a volunteer Jane marshaled the harness horse races for two years at the Trumansburg Fair, riding her Quarter horse, Honest Bill. She served on the Citizens Advisory Committee to the school superintendent, served on the vestry of the Church of the Epiphany, and sang in St. John’s Ithaca church choir, Ithaca Community Chorus and Cornell Chamber singers.

Jane’s husband, children, horses, pets, singing, gardening, reading and writing filled her days with pleasure. She had articles published in “Good Old Days”, “A Day in Ithaca” and in several poetry collections.

She is predeceased by husband, John in 2002; son David in 2012; and sisters Pat Ellithorpe of Florida and Ann Anspach Thyret of Colorado. She is survived by her son Steven Peck, Trumansburg, NY; two daughters, Stephanie (Michael) Kennedy, Rochester, NY and Robin Peck Kent, Trumansburg, NY; 9 grandchildren, Eric (Linda) Peck, Shannon (Jason) Stout, Matthew (Wendy) Morris, Tina (John) Myers, Joe Signorelli, Brian (Juli) Signorelli, Kaide (Matthew) Magee, Kelly (Bruce) White, and Kendra (Bryan) Karnes; 12 great-grandchildren, Griffin Morris, Olivia Ruth Williamson, Morgan Beaton, Eric Peck II, Elizabeth Peck Leger, Olivia and Emma Stout, Ian and Jordan Signorelli, Isaiah and Kamren White, and Ariyah Magee; and by dear friend and caregiver, Lawrence Capizzi.

Jane decided that at her passing she wanted her body donated to SUNY Upstate Medical University where she was gratefully received for use in the education of medical students. Her generosity to humanity continues.

The family wishes to thank Hospicare of Tompkins County by whom Jane was cared for during the last six months of her life and where she resided during the final six weeks until her passing. The care, love, kindness and attention she received from every staff member was profoundly generous and meaningful, for which her family is abundantly grateful. Doing whatever it took to make her smile that beautiful smile of hers was a gift to us we will cherish always.

A Memorial Service will be held at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Ithaca on Saturday, May 10, 2025 at 11:00am with a reception at the church to follow.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks those who would like to make a contribution in Jane’s memory to kindly consider Hospicare of Tompkins County, Ulysses Philomathic Library, SPCA of Tompkins County, or Trumansburg EMS.