Jane Marie Metzing

Jane Marie (Conlon) Metzing, age 86, of Orlando, FL passed away on Wednesday, Dec 14, 2016 under the care of Hospice of the Comforter after a serious fall at home. She was the middle child born to Joseph M. Conlon and Helen A. (Fries) Conlon in Poughkeepsie, NY on March 29, 1930. She was a fussy kindergartener and had to be taken out of school each day by her mother, a school nurse, and sit in the office. Half way through the year the Head Nun grew tired of this and placed her in the first grade class where she did well and was able to skip a grade. Her family moved to Woodside, Queens in 1940 and they lived in an apartment owned by the Carey Family for the next twenty years. Jane graduated from St Sebastian Catholic School in 1943 and attend St Jean Baptiste High School on the upper East Side of Manhattan on a full scholarship. During those HS years she claimed to have eaten a peanut butter and jelly sandwich every day for lunch and worked in the afternoons in a midtown hotel as a telephone operator to help support the family. Once a year, Jane would accompany her grandmother back into the city on the subway so Grandma could buy herself a new hat at Bloomingdales on 59th St. She enjoyed frequent trips back up to Dutchess County and developed lifelong friendships with her dear cousins Helen, Anna and Marion Fries as well as Joey, Bob and Dick Fries.

Though she aspired to be an orthopedic surgeon, her family could not afford medical school, so she entered the field of nursing. Jane graduated at the top of her class from Flushing Hospital School of Nursing in 1950, and received an award from the hospital Board of Trustees. She had the highest rating for accomplishment in all areas including scholarship, technical skills and personal aptitude. She also received the Breitbart Gold Medal for demonstrating the greatest proficiency in operating room technique. She kept in touch with several of those classmates and enjoyed a fun 50th Reunion weekend with most of the small class of ten here in Florida in 2000. Upon graduation from nursing school she was commissioned to serve as an officer in the US Air Force. Unfortunately she could not fulfill her duty as her father suffered his first stroke at that time and she was again needed at home to support the family. So she returned to Flushing Hospital and worked in the Operating Room as a circulating nurse for a period of two years. When she confronted the nursing director about the lack of call pay for mandatory overtime, she was refused the bonus pay. So she quit and took her best friend in the OR with her.

Jane joined the American Red Cross and worked with the mobile blood bank unit throughout the 1950’s gathering blood from patients at places such as West Point, local churches, air craft carriers and even Rikers Island prison. At that time she met a handsome blood bank truck driver named Charlie and they quietly dated for many years. They were engaged on Christmas Eve to the surprise of family and coworkers and were married in St Sebastian Catholic Church on August 1, 1959. They settled first in Woodhaven, Queens, followed by a few years in Glen Oaks, and finally Bellerose where Jane enjoyed being a wife and mother raising her children Charles Anthony, Kevin Joseph, Michael Jude and Kathleen Mary [Nina]. She was an active member of St Gregory the Great Catholic Community in Bellerose and served on many committees at both the church and the school over the years. Many lifelong memories were created during those years with the Fallon, Clifford, Kelly and Stoll families. She was also very proud of the substance abuse counseling work she did at this time.

She loved handicrafts and was always busy creating something pretty: beaded flowers, decoupage pictures, cross stitch samplers, macramé plant hangers or crotcheted afghans. Somehow she could always convince a neighbor, her mother, her sister or a cousin to try and learn the new craft as well. She loved reading novels, jigsaw puzzles, crossword puzzles and word games. Scrabble was a favorite game she enjoyed playing with her cousins on a summer afternoon while the Metzing, Hilderbrand, Cafaro and Fries kids swam in Aunt Anna’s pool in the backyard of the Fries Family home in Wappingers Falls, her favorite vacation spot in the world. She loved her Irish heritage and though she never did get to visit Ireland, she loved to tell stories about her grandmother from county Galway, enjoyed a good slice of Irish soda bread and listening to her Irish music.

She left the cold north and retired to Deland, FL for several years where she was active in the Newcomers’ Club, volunteering at the Public Library and attending Plymouth Ave Church. She was always so glad when her daughter and family would visit so they could spend time together at the Disney Parks, St Augustine or Ponce Inlet. Jane and Charlie later relocated to live with their son Michael’s family in Middletown, Delaware. It is there that she became active in Eastpoint Community Church where she volunteered for many activities and met the friends who supported her so well in the final years of her life. The entire Ward Family, Patsy, Claudia, Bonnie, Amy, Mitch, Tracy, Cheryl and Kent were dearly loved and brought her much joy and happiness.

After being widowed, her final six years were spent back in Orlando, FL with her son Kevin. She lived on her own as long as she could but last December she moved into his condo. With age her mobility became an issue but her mind was still sharp. Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune were a daily ritual and she was often the first in the room to come up with an answer. She loved God, her family and her friends more than anything else. She loved being a nurse and helping other people. She loved Christmas. She loved cheese and butter on everything. She loved life but was ready to go to a peaceful place. She went out with a bang and we will miss her spirit till we see her again.

This was written long ago, but the author had Jane in mind:

A good woman is hard to find, and worth far more than diamonds.

Her husband trusts her without reserve, and never has reason to regret it.

Never spiteful, she treats him generously all her life long.

She shops around for the best yarns and cottons, and enjoys knitting and sewing.

She’s like a trading ship that sails to faraway places and brings back exotic surprises…

She looks over a field and buys it, then with money she’s put aside, plants a garden.

First thing in the morning she dresses for work, rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started.

She senses the worth of her work, is in no hurry to call it quits for the day.

She’s skilled in the crafts of home and hearth, diligent in homemaking.

She’s quick to assist anyone in need, reaches out to help the poor.

She doesn’t worry about her family when it snows; their winter clothes are all mended and ready to wear.

She makes her own clothing and dresses in colorful linens and silks.

Her husband is greatly respected when he deliberates with the city fathers.

She designs gowns and sells them, brings the sweaters she knits to the dress shop.

Her clothes are well made and elegant, and she always faces tomorrow with a smile.

When she speaks she has something worthwhile to say and she always says it kindly.

She keeps an eye on everyone in her household and keeps them all busy and productive.

Her children respect and bless her; her husband joins in with words of praise:

“Many women have done wonderful things, but you have outclassed them all!”

Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades.

The woman to be admired and praised is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God.

Give her everything she deserves! Festoon her live with praises.

--Proverbs 31: 10-31

She was predeceased by her husband of 50 years, Charles Anthony, Jr; brother, Joseph Matthew; sister, Mary T (Conlon) Patti; and son, Charles Anthony (Carol). She was survived by sons, Kevin and Michael (Christine) and daughter Kathleen (Bob); her six grandchildren Bobby, Rachael, Nick, Michael, Lisa and Micayla as well as 15 nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers donations may be sent to the American Red Cross (www.redcross.org) or the AORN Foundation Nursing Scholarship Fund, 2170 S Parker Rd, Suite 400, Denver, Colorado, 80231.

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