Jane Evelyn Blackburn, 92, of Abilene, passed away on Saturday, February 22, 2025 in Abilene. She was born on August 20, 1932 in Wortham, TX to the late Artiss Ray Johnson and Opal Inez Gibbons Johnson. At a young age, Jane was known as a hardworking farmgirl and started picking cotton at the age of 6. By the time she was 13, she was pulling 800 pounds of cotton per day. She grew up and attended school in Littlefield, TX and later moved to Clovis, NM.
In 1978 she moved to Abilene where she worked as a waitress and bartender at the Royal Inn, and In 1979 she bought the restaurant at the Abilene Municipal Airport. She ran the restaurant until her retirement in 1999. Jane was a longtime member of Crossroads Baptist Church.
She is survived by two daughters: Carolyn Holliday of Abilene, and Sandy Brooks of Weatherford, TX; one sister, Charlotte Joiner of Grapevine, TX; 8 grandchildren, 22 great grandchildren, and 12 great-great grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews. Jane was preceded in death by 5 children, 2 grandchildren and 7 brothers.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, February 25, 2025 from 5:00 – 7:00 PM at Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home, 5701 US Hwy 277 South in Abilene. Funeral services will be 1:00 PM Wednesday, February 26, 2025 at the Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home Chapel with Oran Rake officiating. Entombment will follow at Elmwood Memorial Park.
Serving as pallbearers will be Shane Salinas, Kenyon Joiner, Coy Strong, Austin Strong, Larry Don Harvey and Ryan Morse.
