Jane VanTour

Jane was a 1964 graduate of Overton High School in Memphis and graduated in 1968 from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville with a major in Spanish and a minor in French. She was a member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority.

In March 1969, she joined Pan American Airlines a flight attendant based in New York City. She transferred to Los Angeles a few years later. Jane remained in Los Angeles when Pan Am sold its routes in the Pacific to United Airlines and flew internationally for United for almost 50 years. Jane traveled the world using her love of language, travel, and hospitality.

Jane retired to her hometown of Memphis where her family lived. She continued her love of of hospitality and genealogy by volunteering with various groups such as the Tennessee Genealogy Library in Germantown and the Germantown Charity Horse Show and served on various committees. Jane was honored in 2013 as the second recipient of the National Genealogical Society's Distinguished Service Award. She was truly a "Volunteer for Life."

Jane was pre-deceased by her parents, Emmett A. Wilson, Jr. and Nelda C. Wilson, and her brother, Emmett A Wilson, III, and his wife, Kathleen, and her brother-in-law, Lynn H. Harris. She is survived by her sisters, Mary Susan Wilson and Rhonda Wilson Harris. She is also survived by her nephews, James R. Williamson (Lydia) and Emmett Lee Wilson (Colleen), and her great-nephews Wyatt, Owen (Madison), and Dean Williamson and Brendan Wilson. Jane is also survived by her nieces, Lisa Harris Carman (Gregg) and Melissa L. Harris, and her youngest great-nephew, Silas T. Carman.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, March 21, 2026, at Memphis Funeral Home located at 5599 Poplar Avenue, with visitation beginning at 12:30 PM and a service to follow at 2:00 PM. There will be refreshments provided. Jane had requested that she be cremated, and her ashes will be buried at Memorial Park cemetery following the services.

Memorials may be sent to the Tennessee Genealogy Society, P.O. Box 381824, Germantown, ΤΝ. 38183-1824; Germantown Charity Horse Show, P.O. Box 38102, Germantown, TN 38183; West Cancer Center & Research Institute, 7945 Wolf River Blvd, Germantown, TN 38138, or a charity of the donor's choice.