Jane W. Graham

Jane Ellen Wylder was the second of four children born to her parents Newton and Ethel Wylder in

Kansas City, MO on July 1, 1917. Newton was a prominent attorney in Kansas City and Ethel was an

active member of her community. Newton and Ethel fostered both academics and creativity in their

four children—Lawrence, Jane, Jack and Earl—encouraging them to prioritize both their educations and

their personal hobbies. Unsurprisingly, this resulted in a family of diverse expertise and interests—Jane’s

brothers pursued engineering, film and law, and Jane herself was a formally trained watercolor artist.

Growing up with three brothers in Kansas City and later in Chicago, Jane’s childhood was one of varied

interests. She was an avid baseball fan, loved reading and playing field hockey and tennis, and found

early on that she was a gifted artist. Jane graduated from Westport High School in 1933 and enrolled

at the University of New Mexico, but quickly realized that art was her passion—she transferred to art

school in Chicago and ultimately completed her formal training at Parsons School of Fine Arts in New

York City.

Over the course of her life, Jane produced hundreds of exquisite watercolor paintings depicting

everything from architecture and still life arrangements to landscapes and stunning botanicals—her

work is now proudly displayed in the homes of many family members and friends who appreciate her

talent and loved her dearly.

Following art school, Jane moved to St. Lucia with a friend to support the United States’ military efforts

in the Caribbean during WWII. Jane served as one of the primary managers of the military base’s

commissary, and it was there that she met her future husband, Neff Graham, who was serving in the

United States Army. They fell in love and were married on December 9, 1943 at Country Church of the

City in Chicago.

During their 51 years of marriage, Neff and Jane were blessed with four children: Neff Jr., Jon, Nancy

and Gail. Neff’s career in food production management led the family to move many times, settling in

Texas, Hawaii, Illinois, Michigan, Florida, and New York, before Neff and Jane retired to Southern Pines,

North Carolina. Jane’s children remember her as a calm, patient and loving mother whose optimism and

creativity helped them adapt to each move. And they recall that having her personal works of art on the

walls made each new house feel like home.

Neff and Jane shared a devoted, loving marriage—one that gave their children a legacy of caring,

commitment and support that lives on in their own marriages and family lives. And Jane’s eight

grandchildren—Brad, Anne, Jay, Grant, Scott, Kyla, Lara and Clay—cherish the close, loving family that

Neff and Jane nurtured and passed on.

As a widow, Jane moved to Colorado to be with her daughter Nancy’s family. During her 12 years in

Colorado, Jane continued to paint, read and travel. In 2013, Jane moved from Colorado to Michigan to

be near her youngest daughter, Gail. Always adaptable and open to a new adventure, Jane embraced

her new home in Michigan, continued with her art, and spent much of her time visiting and laughing

with Gail.

Jane was a beautiful, intelligent, creative and gifted woman. Her family remembers her as generous,

engaging and often the life of the party. She was much loved and is greatly missed.