Jane Langley Carlson

Jane L. Carlson, age 79, of Birmingham, AL passed away on May 23rd, 2002. She was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico on November 16th, 1942. She was an army brat and attended more schools than she could remember. But she loved Saint Monica’s Catholic School in San Francisco. She finished school at Jacksonville University. Her late husband John R Carlson was a dentist and well-known artist, and when he retired from dentistry, they traveled the country attending art shows, winning awards, and making lifelong friends. She loved doing the shows and was an artist in her own right. She made fun and creative figures she called sculpeys and won awards for them. But her greatest achievements were her relationships with her children, family, and friends. She loved her children to distraction and supported everything they did, including starting a business together. She was the first “employee” and also the most vocal. Jane worked alongside them and had the blessing of being fully active and independent until the last two months of her life.

Her favorite time of year was Christmas. And her favorite thing in the world was going up to Fort Payne at Christmastime with her family, a tradition that lasted over 40 years and included many of her favorite times and memories. Her late husband referred to her as “the spirit of Christmas”. She bought gifts for everyone from the butcher on up, and lavished her adult children like they were 10 years old. She made donations of toys through various charities, and each year she organized her circle of friends to make a considerable donation of toys, clothes, and food to the small and needful church Our Lady of the Valley. One year, Sister Kennedy wrote to her “I felt like I was being visited, not by Santa Claus, but by the Lord Jesus himself”.

Jane took joy in loving. She was love…and charity, and sweetness. She had an astounding ability to connect to people and turn even the smallest relationship into something meaningful. Strangers could feel that Jane saw them and cared for them fully as people, and they loved her for it. The only time she used this superpower for less than good was when returning merchandise. She could return any item to any store no matter how used and regardless of whether the store carried or had ever carried any such item. To our knowledge, she was never denied a refund. She was the eldest of her siblings, and they loved her so much. She will be most remembered for her kindness, her sweet smile donning her signature lipstick Revlon Fire and Ice, and for being frigging hilarious. She was known as “Aunt Jane” to many and will be missed and loved-in-memory by them all.

She is survived by her daughter Tara Holman (Robert) and son Brion Carlson, her brother Bill Langley (Mary), and her sister Liz Newman (Randy), and by many nieces and nephews and their children, all of whom she loved.

The family will receive friends on Monday June 6, 2022 at 11 AM at Ridout's Valley Chapel in Homewood. A service by Dixon Mitchell will begin at noon. Food and refreshments will be served after the service in the Edgewood Parlor. In lieu of flowers, to honor Jane’s helping spirit, donations can be made to Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church, P.O. Box 681446, Fort Payne, AL 35967, Attn: Food Pantry.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.ridoutsvalleychapel.com for the Carlson family.