Jane Andrews Wilmot

Jane Andrews Wilmot of Raleigh died December 8, 2018 at Springmoor’s Stewart Health Center. She was the mother of three, stepmother of three, grandmother of eight, great grandmother of nine and good friend to many.

Jane was born June 15, 1927 in Siler City, NC to Beatrice and George Henry Andrews. She attended Meredith College graduating in 1948. It was at Meredith that she would meet women who would remain life-long friends, including Roselind Steele (with whom she shared the superlative “Wit of the class of 1948”) and Lefty Barefoot, her neighbor at Springmoor.

Her children will remember her as always being in the audience at plays, on the sidelines at games or cheering them at swim meets. She willingly spent many days playing bridge by the pool so that her children could spend all day in the water. And even though she couldn’t swim, she loved the beach. Often she would lead long marches up and down the shore looking for shells and offering posture lessons.

Jane never met a stranger. Upon the dissolution of her first marriage, she found the perfect way to utilize her talents and time by serving as the family liaison at the intensive care waiting room at Rex Hospital where she should provide information and comfort anxious family members.

In 1983 her son Richard introduced her to “the love of her life”: Bill Wilmot. Bill shared her love of bridge, scotch and cigarettes (although, together they ultimately quit smoking). He brought to their marriage a love of travel as well three children, adding to Jane’s adoring audience.

Jane transitioned from a leopard-jumpsuit-gogo-boots-wearing cool mom to cool grandmother. After Bill’s death her new traveling companions became her grandchildren: safaris in Africa, the Rock of Gibraltar in Spain and the Parthenon in Greece.

Though age and dementia took its toll, Jane always remained gracious: inviting those who visited her room to lunch or offering to walk them to the elevator when they left. Jane is survived by her sister, Barbara Andrews Jones of Pittsboro; son, Richard Hewitt and wife Louise of Raleigh; daughters, Rachel Hewitt and husband, Eric Whiteside of Charlotte and Martha O’Neill and husband, Dan of Caswell Beach. She is also survived by her beloved step-children; sons, Garry Wilmot and wife Elaine of Atlanta, Scott Wilmot of Virginia Beach; and daughter, Wendy Wilmot and husband Andy Sayre of Bald Head Island.

The funeral service will be held at 1:00 pm Wednesday, December 19th at the Pullen Memorial Baptist Church at 1801 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh. The family will receive friends following the service.

In lieu of flowers, Jane re-quested that contributions be made to: The Hope Center at Pullen, 1801 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC 27605, in memory of Jane Wilmot.

Arrangements by Brown-Wynne, Saint Mary’s Street, Raleigh.