Jane was born at home on April 9, 1938 to Gilbert and Vera Reedy on a subsistence farm in Maribel, Wisconsin. She was the third child of the couple and joined her brother, Gilbert Jr., and Lu Dene, her older sister. Then came her sisters Cyndy and Dale, resulting in a family of five children.
Maribel had a one-room school that Jane and her siblings attended. Having a population of about 200, the school had a single teacher for all eight grades. The teacher expected the older students to help teach the younger students. Jane thrived in this environment and enjoyed learning and teaching.
In 1948, when Jane was 10, her mother and father divorced. Her brother stayed with their father on the farm. Jane’s mother and sisters moved to Manitowoc, a larger city. Jane’s mother and her two youngest sisters lived together and Jane and her older sister were sent to live with their grandmother.
When Jane was 13, her family was shocked by the death of their brother in a motorcycle accident. She also started to work as a baby-sitter part-time.
In ninth grade, Jane was elected to the student council where she met Del Brault. The attraction was immediate and mutual and they began dating.
In her sophomore year, Jane was selected to produce the sports page of their high school’s student newspaper. Jane also found part time work as a “car hop” at a local drive-in restaurant while she continued her work with as a part-time babysitter. While working almost full time at two part time jobs, and active in school activities, Jane ranked at the top of her class scholastically.
In Jane’s senior year, as her family could not financially help her to attend college, she applied for and was accepted into the Nursing School at Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago. Like most hospital based nursing schools at that time, this was a work–study program and was tuition free.
Jane loved Michael Reese Hospital, her studies and Chicago. Chicago is a vibrant city and a great place to experience your youth and growth into maturity. Jane thrived there and was very excited about pursuing a career in nursing.
In her third year, Jane began to think about her future after her graduation. Michael Reese offered her a position as an instructor in its nursing program. That excited Jane as she could stay in Chicago and work in nursing, both of which she loved.
Jane went home on her vacation to consider her future. While there, Del suggested another option for Jane’s future; he proposed marriage. Del was entering his senior year at the University of Wisconsin and had several job offers following his graduation. He was certain that Jane could find work at the University of Wisconsin Hospitals. Del was also working part time as a bar tender at the Edgewater Hotel near campus. He convinced Jane that with her full time and his part time work, they could start a life together.
Jane accepted his proposal, to Del’s everlasting joy, and they were married on September 12, 1959. They moved to Madison, Jane went to work as a nurse at the University Hospitals and they began their life together.
Their son, Dana was born on September 28, 1961. Jane continued her career in nursing. Del accepted a position with IBM at its branch office in Madison and started work there on January 2, 1962.
In 1963 Jane and Del purchased their first home outside of Madison. Jane resigned her nursing position and became a full time mother and wife.
In 1964, Jane and Del moved into a home in an older Madison neighborhood, as Jane preferred the ambiance of an older house and neighborhood. On October 24, 1964, Jane gave birth to their daughter, Andrea.
Their years in Madison were exciting and interesting.
In early 1969, Del, along with a group of other IBM employees, left to start a new company, Hospital Computer Center, Inc. (HCC), to be located in Flint, MI. Del began work at HCC’s Chicago office as the Chicago Hospital Council had contracted with HCC to provide shared data processing services to its client hospitals, a potentially large source of revenue.
That summer, Jane and their children joined Del at their new home in Lincolnshire, Il.
In early 1972, HHC asked Del to assume the responsibility for managing and developing its office in Springfield, NJ. That summer, Jane, Del and their family moved to Westfield, NJ.
Late in 1972, the President of HCC met with Jane and Del. The company’s Chicago office was having problems and it was contributing over half of HCC’s revenue. He asked that Jane and Del move back to Chicago and for Del to assume management of the Chicago office. As Jane and Del had invested several years in helping to grow HCC and their equity was at risk, they agreed. They moved back to another home in Lincolnshire.
In early 1974, American Hospital Supply Corporation (AHSC) acquired HCC and two other companies that provided shared data processing services to hospitals. AHSC’s objective was to combine these 3 companies into one large company. HCC’s President asked Jane and Del to move to the corporate office and for Del to become Director of IT to assist in combining the data processing operations of the 3 companies. In the summer of 1974, Jane and Del moved their family to Grand Blanc, MI.
In late 1975, AHSC sold the 3 companies to Shared Medical System (SMS), a large competitor of the 3 smaller companies. In December of 1975, Del submitted his resignation to SMS to be effective June 30, 1976 and began looking for a new opportunity.
In September of 1976, Lear Siegler, Inc. (LSI), a large manufacturing company, hired Del to become President of Medical Ancillary Services, Inc. (MAS), a subsidiary of LSI. MAS provided management and billing services to emergency physicians’ groups. MAS had installed a new computer system and the installation was a disaster. Del, because of his IBM and HCC experience was hired to solve the problem and to assist in the lawsuit that had been filed by LSI against Sperry Rand Univac, the computer manufacturer.
As MAS was located in Troy, MI, Jane, Del and their family moved again, this time to Rochester, MI in early 1977.
The lawsuit was settled in late 1977. The result of MAS’ computer problem and the lawsuit was two fold. First, LSI got all of its investment back. Second, because of the computer problems, MAS had lost much of its client base, was a much smaller company and was rapidly losing money.
In early 1978, Del met with LSI corporate management. He was informed that LSI management had decided to close MAS. They asked Del to develop a strategy and budget to close the company.
As LSI was a public company, LSI’s direction was that Del close MAS in a manner that would insure that MAS’ clients were properly cared for and did not have any cause to sue LSI. That would require time to assist the clients to convert to alternative sources for the services MAS provided. MAS would have to maintain a high level of service while going out of business. That would take time and would generate a continuing loss, which LSI accepted.
While developing the plan to close MAS, Del also developed a second proposal. Del’s alternative was to propose that LSI give him the money budgeted to close MAS and immediately sell MAS to him for $1. That would absolve LSI of any potential legal issues and ensure that the estimated budget loss was fixed. Del’s proposal to buy MAS was immediately accepted by LSI management.
Del found himself owning a company running at a loss, but with funds sufficient to sustain the company for some time. His objective was to get MAS profitable before the money ran out.
Jane joined the new company, Brault, Strauchman & Associates (BS&A) in early 1984 to manage the coding function and to assist with client service. BS&A survived and prospered and in the fall of 1984, Del sold the company.
Jane and Del had traveled the U.S. as MAS had clients in 22 states. Dana and Andrea were both attending Michigan State University. With MAS sold, Jane and Del could live anywhere they wanted. Jane decided she wanted to live in San Diego and she and Del moved there in late 1984. Their first home was in Escondido on Lake Hodges.
In 1985, Jane and Del started a consulting company, Brault & Associates. They consulted with hospitals and emergency physician groups regarding billing issues.
Jane and Del moved to a home in Rancho Bernardo in 1986.
Dana was discharged from the Army and joined Jane and Del in Rancho Bernardo in early 1990 to look for work in the area. Andrea completed medical school and entered the emergency medicine residency program at the University of Irvine Hospitals in 1990. The family was back together again.
As a result of their consulting business, in 1990 Jane and Del were presented with an opportunity to get back into the emergency medical billing business. They formed Emergency Groups’ Office (EGO) and began business in an office in Pasadena, CA on July 1. Dana was an initial employee.
In 1992, Jane and Del moved to a new home in a golf course development outside Poway, CA.
Andrea completed her residency program in the summer of 1992 and she and John Fuelling were married that September.
In 1993, Jane became a grandmother when Madison Jane Fuelling was born on August 22nd. Megan Leigh Fuelling was born on June 28, 1996.
In the mid-1990’s, the Fuelling family moved to Chicago following John’s promotion by Home Depot. Jordan Kay Fuelling was born there on October 5, 1998. Jane’s family was complete.
In early 1999, Jane and Del approached Andrea and John with a proposal. Jane and Del were in the early 60’s and needed to develop a succession plan. They proposed that Andrea and John move their family back to Southern CA and Andrea join EGO to learn the business to eventually manage the company. She and John agreed and they moved to La Verne that summer.
In January 2004, Andrea assumed the Presidency of EGO and Jane and Del moved into advisory positions.
At the time of her death, Jane was actively managing Brault & Associates, and was a Director and Co-CEO of Emergency Groups’ Office. She was very involved with the purchase and decorating of Emergency Groups’ Office new building in San Dimas that it occupied on August 1, 2014. Andrea and Del will dedicate that building to her memory.
A funeral service will be held at 2:00 pm on Thursday, September 11, 2014 at Pacific View Mortuary Chapel.
Arrangements under the direction of Pacific View Memorial Park and Mortuary FD1176, Corona Del Mar, CA.
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