Jane Vose Carlson

Beloved wife, mother, proud grandmother, and friend, Jane passed away on October 31, 2014 surrounded by her family. Much loved and admired for her beauty, personality, strength, resilience and will to live, she is greatly missed and will be long-remembered with fondness and respect by all who knew her.

Jane Milliken Vose was born November 26, 1934 in Houlton, Maine to Henrietta Jane Vose and Frederic Blin Vose. They lived in Freeport, Long Island where her father had an aviation career with Sperry Gyroscope following his graduation from the United States Naval Academy in 1922. Jane lived on Long Island until 1968. She attended Northfield School for Girls and gave birth to her only child Karen Jane Fisher in 1952.

Jane moved to La Jolla in 1968 to start a new life, where she met the love of her life, soul mate, partner, and later, caregiver, George Carlson in 1973 when they both worked at La Costa Resort. George was a retired Naval Aviator. George took a job with Computer Sciences Corporation in Tehran, Iran in 1974 to escape the recession. Jane followed him there shortly thereafter, where they embarked on an adventure for 3-1/2 years. While in Tehran In 1975 they obtained their first miniature poodle, Taji who was born out of wedlock. They were married in Tehran on September 22, 1976. In 1978, the Carlson’s returned to San Diego to resume their real estate careers. Jane worked in residential real estate in La Jolla and George worked in commercial real estate with a specialty in apartments. During the years that followed, they travelled widely enjoying tours of countries all over Western Europe, the British Isles, and Australia interspersed with cruising to Alaska, Mexico, Hawaii, South America, Asia, the Caribbean, Mediterranean, and Baltic Sea.

In recent years following their exciting travels, Jane endured numerous major surgeries and hospitalizations through which she demonstrated her strength and determination, and good spirits to live a full and happy life in which she was successful.

Jane is survived by her husband George, her daughter Karen and husband Carl Weymann, grandson Spencer and granddaughter Jacqueline, a midshipman first class at the United States Merchant Marine Academy; and step children David and Kathleen; step-grandson Gabe, a USAFR C-17 Loadmaster; and her third poodle Louis. Preceded in death by Henrietta Milliken Vose and Frederic Blin Vose.

Any donations in her name could be made to a Catholic charity, Pathfinders, or U.S.S. Midway.

The family will receive visitors at Merkley-Mitchell Mortuary at 3655 Fifth Avenue in San Diego on Wednesday, November 12 from 4-7 p.m. with a Rosary at 6:00 p.m. A funeral mass will be held at the Immaculata Church at the University of San Diego on Thursday, November 12 at 10:30 a.m., followed by burial at Fort Rosecrans national Cemetery at 2:00.

Jane Vose Carlson Eulogy

11/10/14 Karen Weymann

• My name is Karen Jane Weymann, I'm Jane’s only child.

• Thank you all so much you for being here to support my stepfather, George Carlson and my family. Your comfort means a lot to us. The phone calls, cards, your presence at her visitation, and flowers are all appreciated.

• Since my mother passed away on October 31, I've been going through her things and have a sense of her whole life, on balance and an understanding that life IS a journey – I can see her completeness in her struggles and successes; the things she was afraid of or insecure about and how they came to be washed clean with love and acceptance; her sense of adventure and love of travel; as well as the joy she took in all the simple pleasures of home, friends and hobbies; and the evolution of her personal growth and faith.

• She was willful and adventurous, a combination of brains and beauty, temperamental, and perfectionistic– at the same time she was determined, a passionate and loyal wife and friend, a talented professional, a homemaker, and a great cook and entertainer.

• Some of you may know that my mother was struck with polio as a child. The same determination and resilience it took for her to recover from polio enabled her to persevere throughout her life, and recover from numerous spinal surgeries as well as the 13 surgeries she needed over the last 8 years.

• She thought she wasn't athletic, but she endeavored to find what she was good at it and excel-sports like tennis, ping pong, and badminton – and she worked on her tennis skills until her back problems prevented her continuing.

• She attended Northfield School for Girls in Massachusetts, which was one of the most academic schools in the country at the time. She was always a straight A student. Her favorite subjects were Latin and Math and when she was younger, she wanted to teach Latin.

• My mother was indeed willful and passionate, which brought me into the world when she was only 17. It also took her halfway around the world to live in Tehran and marry George, her loyal and loving husband for almost 40 years.

• Her organizational skills allowed her to excel as a professional and succeed in her work life throughout her career.

• But what I think I and all who knew her will remember most about my mother is that 10,000 watt smile that lit up the room when she walked in.

• She was blessed with beauty and was a perfectionist - always impeccably organized and groomed. She took beautiful care of herself, her home and everything she owned, especially things handed down through the generations of her family. I will see to it that those things are treated well and passed down.

• She was a loyal friend. One of the cards we received last week was from her dear friend Allene Arthur. Allene's letter simply said she was sorry for our loss; but mainly she was sorry for her own loss. Her letter talks about their 41 year friendship- how they went from being hot single babes to creaky old ladies- how they once talked about men, clothes, jobs, and makeup-and lately talked about medications, lab tests, and what hurts. She told me that Jane enriched her life and she would see her again.

• Throughout her life, my mother revered the memory of her father, who died in a commercial airline crash when she was 9. He was a tall, handsome naval academy graduate and chemical engineer with a cutting edge career in aeronautics at what was Sperry Gyroscope at the time.

• For the last 70 years, she kept treasured memorabilia from his life - the father she loved but never really had the opportunity to know, and had a great interest in keeping the history of her family alive.

• So, it's no wonder that when a tall, handsome naval aviator named George came into her life, she married him, and found the loving, fulfilling relationship she had always dreamed of and was grateful every day for the way he attended to her every need.

• Her personal letters to her mother and other papers I’ve been reading reflect a love of travel and other cultures which is woven throughout her life, especially in the traveling she and George did over the years.

• Despite the almost constant pain, she worked hard to recover from those surgeries and keep going. When she faltered, George kept her going, never leaving her side and always believing she could do anything!

• She was always thankful for the care and advice she received from her physicians, particularly Dr. Ahlers at Sharp. She was cheerful and accepting in the face of illness, and did not let it stop her from trying to continue doing what she enjoyed, like needlepoint, cooking, and reading (oh an her fascination with trashy TV shows like the Sopranos and Judge Judy).

• That brings me to Father Matt, and the support my mother and George have received from the Immaculata Church. Father Matt anointed my mother many times, officiated when Jane and George renewed their vows during my mother’s illness, and came to her side in the hospital as she was dying. Janice in the office has been there for her since the RCIA days; volunteer parishioners and seminarians, especially Josh, who came to the house to bring her Holy Communion and spiritual comfort. We are forever thankful for Father Matt as well as the volunteers and staff here at the Immaculata that made such a difference in her life.

• For me, the last 8 years of my mother’s life were truly a gift for which I will always hold dear in my heart. When I was young, she passed on her determination, devotion to truth, and drive for excellence, in addition to her cooking skills, manners, and style! In these last years, she’s modeled what’s truly important – that every day is a gift, she loved her family and was grateful for all her relationships, acceptance of everything as it was, and faith in what’s to come.

• My mother relayed to me the deep spiritual experiences she had when she was at deaths door 8 years ago. She told me about how she floated above her body, the presence of angels in the room, and the light and sounds of heaven. She told me that she not afraid because she knew where she was going and looked forward to it!

• In closing, the 23rd psalm has been running through my mind so often in these last two weeks, so I want to end with it:

The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want;

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures;

He leadeth me beside still waters;

He restoreth my soul.

He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name' sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil: For thou art with me.

Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies;

Thou annointest my head with oil; My cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the House of the Lord forever.

That says it all for me- my mother has lived a good life, and has gone to Gods house