Jane (Claster) Fulton Stanley died peacefully on January 19, 2020, at the age of 99. Born on September 14, 1920 to Anna & Samuel Claster in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, she moved to New York City with her family when she was 5 years old. Jane attended New York City public schools and received her BA from Goucher College in Baltimore majoring in fine arts, which remained a lifelong interest. Her roommate at Goucher was Jane Sloman from New Rochelle, and they remained lifelong friends.
She met her adoring husband Miki Fulton while she was visiting Claster cousins at Camp Winaukee in New Hampshire, where Miki was the tennis counselor. As luck would have it, when the summer was over, Miki would be attending dental school not far from Goucher College at the University of Maryland. Following college, Jane Sloman married Ira Stanley, Jane Claster married Miki Fulton, and the 2 couples remained lifelong friends. Then the United States entered World War II, and Major Miki was called to serve in the Army Air Force as a dentist. Miki was lucky to be stationed stateside, in Myrtle Beach before it became a vacation destination and at Bradley Field before it became an international airport. Jane often spoke about how hot it was in Myrtle Beach in those days and how cold it was in Connecticut. Jane also said late in her life that of all the inventions she had witnessed over the course of 9 decades, the best one by far was air conditioning.
After the war, Jane and Miki moved to upper Manhattan, where they lived for several years, and had 2 children. In the early 50s, Jane settled her family in Scarsdale, New York. When her children were old enough to find their way home alone after school, Jane earned a master’s degree in library science from Pratt Institute; she subsequently worked as a reference librarian at the Scarsdale Public Library for many years. This was the 60s, 70s, and 80s; Jane could find anything on any topic, without the help of Google.
After her beloved Miki passed away at what now seems the prime of his life (age 72), and after the first Jane Stanley passed away at a similarly young age, Jane Fulton married her lifelong friend Ira Stanley. Jane and Ira shared nearly 15 more years of travel, theater, and festivities.
Jane’s greatest joy was her family: her parents, her many aunts, uncles, and cousins, and especially her 2 sisters, Gladys and Josephine. Jane is survived by her younger sister, Josephine Kellman; her children, David Fulton (Nancy Simon Fulton) and Peggy Fulton Ranson; 3 granddaughters: Julie Fulton (Eric Zuckerman), Kate Fulton (Chris Stanislowski), and Molly Ranson; her brand-new great-grandson, Ezra Otis Fulton Stanislowski; many nieces, nephews, cousins; and a cherished step-family.
Graveside service Tuesday, January 21, 2020, 1:00pm at Sharon Gardens Kensico Cemetery, Valhalla NY.
Contributions in her memory may be sent to Springhouse Senior Living Community, 44 Allandale Street, Boston MA 02130.
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