Date of Birth:
Tuesday, September 6, 1927
Date of Death:
Tuesday, September 17, 2024
Age:
97 years old

Jane Marie (Blomstrand) Scanlon

Jane Marie (Blomstrand) Scanlon died at Charter House on September 17, 2024.

Born September 6, 1927, to Edwin and Anna (Grafstrom) Blomstrand, she grew up in Chicago and after high school joined the Cadet Nurse Corps.  She fell in love with an intern at Michael Reese Hospital, Paul William Scanlon, from Fulton NY. They married on February 10, 1948, in Long Beach CA. Paul completed his naval duty at Great Lakes Naval Station near Chicago, then moved to Rochester MN for a residency in radiology. Jane had five babies, born 1949-1954.   In 1952, Paul joined the Mayo staff in Therapeutic Radiology (Radiation Oncology) and they moved to the 5-bedroom house in Southwest Rochester where they resided for 21 years and raised their children.

Sadly, Jane lost three of her children, two due to cystic fibrosis. Barbara died as an infant, but Michael lived for nearly 14 years. Barry died on August 13, 2016, from injuries in an auto accident near Gainesville FL.

Jane was an extraordinarily organized and talented wife and mother, a brilliant and prolific cook, unpublished author of a family cookbook, expert seamstress and milliner, who in addition to being beautiful and statuesque, was always very stylish.

Although she was raised Baptist, attending Youth for Christ assemblies lead by Rev. Billy Graham, after marriage, she became a devout Catholic.  She was also a staunch Republican whose only votes for a Democrat were for Tim Walz, whom she respected as author of the Stock Act.

Jane and Paul set very high academic expectations of their children, all three of whom excelled and became physicians.  Though strict with their children, they were welcoming and supportive of their children’s friends. One of Barry’s best friends wrote: “She was our second Mom. So many wonderful memories. Treated us kids with love and respect at times even though we may not have deserved it…Very special lady.”

They were patrons of the arts and encouraged that interest in their children with family season tickets to the Guthrie, the Civic Theater, the Rochester Symphony and the Minnesota Symphony as well as frequent museum trips.

Jane returned to nursing in 1968, but was recruited away to a ten-year career as a travel agent with many exotic trips with Paul and a go-to role as an expert on international travel.

Jane and Paul both retired in 1984 and began to winter on Marco Island FL. She continued her weekly bridge games with a reconstituted foursome of Rochester snowbirds.  Jane became an expert in seashell crafts and developed her own methods for creating gorgeous renditions of real flowers (orchids, irises, lilacs, delphiniums, chrysanthemums, roses, pussy willows, etc.), which won “Best of Show” honors. She taught her techniques to a generation of seashell artists. She also gained notoriety for her often-scathing letters to the editor, both in Rochester and on Marco Island.

After twenty years on Marco Island, Paul began to show signs of dementia.  Jane cared for him lovingly and patiently for five years until his death in 2012. She then moved to Charter House and was an active member of the community and continued playing bridge. Despite the COVID pandemic, she enjoyed excellent health until the last year and a half.  Even then despite an aortic valve replacement and a stroke, she recovered quickly and continued living independently. In the past year, she finally slowed down, needing care for the last few months.  She never lost her sense of humor or her fondness for a glass of wine with dinner.  She celebrated her 97^th birthday on September 6^th.  During her last three months she was visited by each of her six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Jane is survived by two of her children, Patricia Bloom (Harrison) of Hastings-on-Hudson NY, and Paul (Maggie) of Rochester MN, her grandchildren Luke Scanlon of Ft. Collins CO, Laura Bloom Fletcher (Ryan) of Denver CO, Kelsey Scanlon Brettin (Jacob) of Rochester, Alexander Scanlon (Claudia Garcia y Scanlon) of Adelaide SA Australia, Jedd Michael Bloom (Jenny) of East Palo Alto CA, Collin Gumprecht of Austin TX, and great-grandchildren Quinn and Halle Fletcher, Kinley and Liam Brettin, Benjamin and Idris Scanlon and Liliana and Obadiah Bloom. She is also survived by four nieces, one nephew and three grandnieces and four grandnephews

She was preceded in death by her husband, Paul, her sister, Violet, and three of her children, Barbara, Michael and Barry.

A Memorial Service will be celebrated by Rev. Msgr. Gerald Mahon on Monday, September 30^th  at 11 a.m., preceded by a one hour visitation at 10 a.m. and followed by a luncheon, all at Charter House, 211 2^nd Street NW. Interment of ashes will take place at a later date in a private family ceremony. The family would like to thank the staff of Charter House , Mayo Clinic and Mayo Clinic Hospice for their “world’s finest” care.

Contributions in lieu of flowers may be directed to the Channel One Food Bank, the Poverello Foundation for patients in financial need at St. Mary’s Hospital, or a charity of the donor’s choice.

Macken Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.  On-line condolences are welcome at www.mackenfuneralhome.com.