Jane E. Pace

Jane Emily Pace, 78, of Bucyrus died Friday morning, September 16, 2016 at her residence following a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s Disease.



She was born September 20, 1937 in Defiance, Ohio to the late Oscar and Ada (Frank) Cordray and graduated from Defiance High School. Jane married Bill D. Pace on June 24, 1956 whom she’d met while working as a waitress when he was a student at Defiance College. Though Jane loved Defiance, her family moved to Bucyrus in 1964 as Bill took a position in the Bucyrus School District and this became home; the place she loved and never left.



Family was first in Jane’s life. She cared for them as a homemaker and instilled strong work ethic that her children have passed on to their families. She also worked at Timken from 1967 to 1997, many of those years spent on nights, but Jane always saw that meals were prepared, clothes were clean and their home was immaculate.



Flowers were a passion of Jane’s and it wasn’t uncommon for her to share a red rose with someone she came in contact with while running errands. Nobody was as attentive to mowing the yard as she and whether planting flowers at home, Timken or Good Hope Lutheran Church, when she created her floral masterpieces, everyone took notice.



Her motto, “there’s much strength in gentleness,” is how she lived her life and she felt truly blessed to put the needs of others ahead of her own. She read her daily devotions and prayer occurred before every meal. She was a member of Good Hope Lutheran Church where she was active with the women of the church and she volunteered time at the Salvation Army.



Jane is survived by three children, William D. Pace, Jr. (Debbie) of Vail, Arizona, Robert Pace of Caledonia, and Mary Lepley (Bruce) of Bucyrus; grandchildren, Tim Pace (Julie), Andrea Pace-Pollock (Titus), Cameron Pace, Nicole Jones, Katie Jones, and Chantal Pace; great grandchildren, Justice Dye, Caleb Chapman, Mitchell Chapman, Bryson Kent, and Allie Kent; as well as her twin brother, Gene Cordray (Shirley) of Avon Lake, Florida.



She was preceded in death by her husband Bill, whom she was married to for 59 years before his death in July of 2015 and six siblings, Bill, Robert, Jim, Catherine, Virginia, and Betty Grace.



Friends may call from 2-3:45 p.m. Sunday, September 18 at Good Hope Lutheran Church where her funeral will begin that day at 4:00 p.m. with Gene Luidhardt, SAM, officiating. A private burial will take place Monday in Oakwood Cemetery.



Memorial contributions may be given to the Alzheimer’s Association or to the Good Hope Steeple Fund through Wise Funeral Service, 129 W. Warren St., Bucyrus, Ohio 44820.