Jane Schwab

Jane Schwab, 1922 - 2010

Jane Schwab is typical of many local women during World War II. She wanted to do “something for my country”. Schwab entered the Coast Guard after her sophomore year in college. She received basic training in communications and learned Morse Code, worked in ordnance and chemical warfare, and in the administration, training, and deployment of recruits to lifeboat stations and lighthouses.

U.S.C.G. Petty Officer First Class Schwab served from 1943 to 1946 as part of the Fifth Naval District, Department of Ordnance stationed in Charleston, South Carolina.

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Jane's obituary from the Cumberland Times News, February 4, 2010

CUMBERLAND — Jane Holstein Schwab passed away at home on Thursday, Feb. 4, 2010 after a courageous battle against a brain tumor.

Jane was born to Sidney G. and Lillian Berger Holstein in Cleveland, Ohio, Jan. 4, 1922 and was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Leonard Holstein.

She graduated from Cleveland Heights High School in the class of 1940. Jane attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio from 1940 to 1942. For the next year, she worked for the Halle Brothers department store in downtown Cleveland as a personal shopper.

In 1944, Jane enlisted in the USCG (SPARS). She was assigned to the Ordnance Department in the Sixth Naval District in Charleston, South Carolina and during her enlistment qualified as an Expert marksman.

In June 1950, Jane was invited to the wedding of Richard Schwab, along with her mother and father, and this is where she first met Leonard. On Leonard’s third trip to Cleveland to visit Jane in January 1951 he gave Jane an engagement ring. They were wed in Cleveland on March 31, 1951.

Theater played a major role in Jane’s life. Jane enjoyed acting in the productions at two community theatres in Charleston, Footlight Workshop Theatre and the well-known Dock Street Theatre. After her discharge from the military, Jane enrolled in Leland Powers School of Theatre and Radio in Boston, Mass. After graduating, she worked as the Program Director at Radio Station WMTW in Portland, Maine. In 1950 Jane moved back to Cleveland and worked for Radio Station WJMO. Many years later, Jane could be heard doing commercials on WTBO radio in Cumberland. In 1957, she helped to organize a local theatre group, The Algonquin Players. She starred in many of the productions and worked backstage doing make-up. In the early years of Heritage Days, Jane directed the stage production depicting the community’s history. In the community, she worked with students and adults to apply stage make-up in local high school and community productions. In the 1990’s, reviving a long desire to be on stage, Jane and Leonard performed A.R. Gurney's, "Love Letters," at the Cumberland Theatre as a fundraiser for the theatre. They were asked for several encore performances and were even asked to perform "Love Letters" at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa., for Len’s 60th college reunion.

Jane was devoted to her family. Immediate family members include her husband, Leonard; her two sons, Tadd and Doug, and their families, Tadd's wife, Sandy, son, Jason, daughter, Rachel and son-in-law, Michael and Doug’s wife, Betsey, son, Avi, daughter-in-law, Laura, and son, Eli. Jane not only kept scrapbooks for the Schwab Company, but also for the family, chronicling all the activities and awards of the family.

Jane was active in many community groups. She registered as a Cub Scouter for the local Potomac Council when her boys joined scouting. She served as Den Mother, and later served on the Area One South East Region Committee on Cub Scouting and the Potomac Council Board. In 1973, Jane received the Silver Fawn, and in 1978 received her Wood Badge Beads. In 1981, she served on staff of the National Boy Scout Jamboree. She served on the staff of several Wood Badge training courses. For many years, Jane and Leonard ran the Cumberland branch of the Medical Eye Bank of Maryland, which included transporting eyes. She served with the Literacy Council as a tutor. Jane was active in Daughters of the Nile, Re Temple 118. She held the office of Queen in 1985 and again in 1986. She was the first and only Queen to serve two terms. Jane also helped with Blood Mobiles for the American Red Cross and served on the Board of Directors of the Cumberland Theatre.

Jane was a “lady” in the true sense of the word and everyone who met her said as much. Whether she was hand writing letters, teaching her grandchildren manners, or in a scout uniform at camp, she was first and foremost a lady, thinking of the needs of those around her and making sure that they were ok, no matter what her needs were.

The family would like to express sincere thanks and appreciation to the care providers from Personal Home Services, run by Betty Loewendick. Each one of the providers showed compassion and extreme caring, and continue to do so with Leonard. We want to thank Carol Davies, Nancy Carpenter, Shirley Wharton, Rae Ann Pfaff, Alexia Garlitz, Karen Moore, Stan Murdock, Frank Thom, Ida Toey and Melissa Lambert. We want to thank the WMHS Hospice staff, especially Janie Adams, for their care and guidance. We also want to thank Dr. Jim Moen for being the kind of doctor who really cares about his patients and took the time to answer all of our calls and questions

The family will receive visitors at 1 p.m. on Sunday Feb. 7, 2010 at The Adams Family Funeral Home, 404 Decatur St., Cumberland, and funeral services will be held there at 2 p.m.

Internment will be at East View Cemetery. Friends are welcome to greet the family from approximately 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Temple B’er Chayim, 107 Union St.

The family would like to request that, in lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy take the form of contributions to Potomac Council Boy Scouts of America, PO Box 212, Cumberland, MD 21501-0212 or B’er Chayim Temple, 107 Union St., Cumberland, MD 21502.

Shiva will be held at B’er Chayim Temple at 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 7, 2010. Shiva on Monday, Feb. 8, 2010 will be held at the home of Leonard Schwab at 7 p.m. Additional shiva will be held at the New Jersey home of Tadd and Sandy Schwab, 613 Bellaire Dr., Demarest, N.J. 07627 on Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2010 at 7 p.m. Shiva on Thursday, Feb. 11, 2010 will be held in the Florida home of Tadd and Sandy Schwab, 8369 DelPrado Dr., Delray Beach, FL 33446 at 7 p.m.