Jane Dalton passed away on Thursday, February 24, 2022 in The Woodlands, Texas at the age of 88.
Jane was born in Valeda, Kansas on March 19, 1933 to Harry and Elise Armstrong. Harry worked on a seismograph exploration crew for an oil company, and the job kept the family on the move living in several different states. The oil business would remain intertwined with Jane’s life for many years. They eventually settled in Russell, Kansas where she attended both junior and senior high school. She then attended the University of Kansas, graduating with a degree in geology. She met Benjamin Dalton, of El Dorado, Kansas, while attending the university. They were married in 1955.
The young couple moved to Texas, living first in Humble, near Houston, and then in Midland while working for Humble Oil (later Exxon). After moving back to Houston, Jane taught math and science at Spring Branch Junior High School. The couple then moved to Connecticut and later to England -- all while starting a family with the additions of sons Ben and Scott. While living in Kingswood, in Surrey County south of London, Jane got involved with her sons’ schools and with golf.
Upon returning to Texas, Jane completed classes in accounting and worked for H&R Block. After her husband’s retirement from Exxon, they ran a small oil production company together, for which she did the accounting. Jane’s interests also included gardening, and she achieved Master Gardener status. She and her husband worked countless hours on the weekends in their home garden and eventually at a communal garden in Conroe, Texas. The bounty of her harvest was enjoyed by friends and family, with her ability to grow matched only by her generosity to share.
Jane had an adventurous spirit and was an avid traveler. She visited all of the states of the USA, as well as Europe, Latin America, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Some of her favorite trips were to Mount Everest, Butchart Gardens on Vancouver Island, and the American Cemetery above Omaha Beach in Normandy.
Her curiosity was immense and she loved road trips, always wanting to know what was around the next bend. She could drive all day, every day, taking in the sights. She always had a Roadside Geology book by her side that she would read aloud for all to hear (regardless of the interest of the younger passengers).
Later in life, Jane took to playing penny poker on Friday nights (her earnings saved in a piggy bank for her granddaughter’s college fund), belonging to book club, taking Spanish classes, and gambling in football pools (she enjoyed watching almost all sports, but the NFL was her favorite). She also loved to knit and was a member of the Chatty Weavers Volunteers.
She was kind and generous, warm and fun, outspoken and witty. She was a great wife, an amazing mother and a true friend to many. She will be very much missed.
Jane was preceded in death by her husband, Benjamin Dalton and by her brothers, John Moore Armstrong and Jerry Dean Armstrong. Jane is survived by her sons, Ben and Scott, her daughter-in-law Lorena, and her granddaughter Mariana.
A memorial service will be held on Sunday, March 13th at Forest Park The Woodlands Funeral Home in The Woodlands, Texas, at 1pm. In lieu of flowers, a memorial contribution can be made to the Muscular Dystrophy Association (IBM).
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.forestparkthewoodlands.com for the Dalton family.
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