Jane Claire Clover

Jane Claire Giles Clover, aged 86, passed away peacefully on December 6, 2024, at Wake Medical Center in Raleigh, NC. Born on March 15, 1938, in Cherokee County, NC, where her father worked on the Hiawassee Dam, Jane was the daughter of the late Henry Wilson Giles, Sr. and Cora Alice Smith Giles.

A gifted student, she excelled in her studies, graduating with honors from Wheaton High School in Maryland, where she was the school’s first valedictorian. Her academic journey led her to George Washington University, where she graduated in 1960, beginning a career as a chemist at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). She later worked at Thiokol in Utah, where the rocket boosters for the Space Shuttle were manufactured. Her last job was at Optical Coating Laboratory (OCLI) in California. Jane’s intellectual curiosity and work ethic defined her professional life, and her contributions to science left an enduring impact. Although she never flaunted it, she was a role model for young women pursuing careers in STEM.

In 1970, Jane married her beloved husband, Russ. Together, they embarked on a journey filled with travel and shared adventures, exploring places that fueled Jane’s love for history, literature, and the arts. She shared Russ’ passion for railroading.

Jane was preceded in death by her husband, Russell Kingsley Clover, her parents, Henry Wilson Giles, Sr. and Cora Alice Smith Giles, and by James Robert Giles, Sr. (brother). She is survived by her brother, Henry W. “Bill” Giles Jr. (Natalie), her sister-in-law, Catherine Barnett Giles, as well as her stepchildren, Carolyn Clover Aamot, Eileen Clover Salsig, and numerous nieces, nephews, and step grandchildren.

A service will be at 1PM January 25, 2025, at Cambridge Village in Apex, NC. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Samaritan’s Purse, earmarked for Western North Carolina hurricane relief.

Jane’s life was a story of resilience, intelligence, exploration, and love. She leaves behind a legacy of curiosity, kindness, and the indelible mark of a life well lived.

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