Jane Ruth Blocker

Jane Barrett Blocker passed away peacefully in her home in Southern Pines, NC, on Saturday, October 14, 2017.  She was born May 12, 1942, in Pinehurst, NC, to Myron and Betty Milliman Barrett.  She lived her childhood years in Pinehurst and her teen years in Wheeling, West Virginia. She attended Randolph-Macon Women’s College in Lynchburg, Virginia where she majored in chemistry. She finished her undergraduate and graduate studies at Queens College in New York and focused on psychology. She lived for several amazing years in New York City where she played an important role working on the 1963 World’s Fair. While visiting her parents on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, she met her future husband David Blocker, a good friend of her brother Mike, who was visiting from Chicago. They married and started a family, having son David in 1972, and lived in Chicago, Illinois and the surrounding suburbs for 16 years. While living in Chicago and in Flossmoor, Illinois, she was very active in the community organizing and putting together numerous fundraisers, fashion shows, and many fun events for the Infant Welfare Society of Chicago. She was also very active in the local schools in Flossmoor.

In 1987, she and her family moved to Fredericksburg, Virginia. While in Fredericksburg she spearheaded the wonderful restoration of a 100 year old Victorian home on Fredericksburg’s historic Washington Avenue. She also founded a company called Stained Glass Concept which custom designed and made beautiful stained glass windows and entry ways, and her company was selected to do a project for the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC.

She moved to Southern Pines in 1992 to be closer to parents Betty and Myron and became active in many civic organizations. She also taught at the local alternative school. While she only taught there for a year, she had a powerful impact on many of "her kids" as she called them who would often run into her around town later in life and who would come running to her to thank her for being there for them. She was also very active and volunteered and delivered meals for Meals on Wheels for many years.  

She had a passion for helping children in need and performed many private acts of kindness over the years for them.  She was filled with an incredible spirit of generosity, optimism and positive energy. She loved animals and all creatures great and small. She had a very fond affection and connection with the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. She was an avid reader, and she loved mysteries and crossword puzzles. She had a passion and interest in wide ranging topics such as politics, music, art, sports, international affairs, history, philosophy, religion & spirituality, as well as nature. She loved conversation and discussion that had depth and meaning. She lived in Village in the Woods from 1994 until her passing and loved her neighbors and friends and loved her life in Southern Pines and in The Woods.  

           Jane was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Lou, and his wife and child.

           She is survived by son David A. Blocker, Jr. of Chicago, Illinois and brother Michael Barrett of Pinehurst/Foxfire Village, North Carolina.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 am on Monday, October 23 rd at the Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities

In lieu of flowers the family would welcome a donation in her name to one of the following organizations that she held dear:

Shriners Hospitals for Children

The New Hanover County Rabbit Rescue of Wilmington, NC

Meals on Wheels of The Sandhills

 

Online condolences at PineFunerals.com

 

Powell Funeral Home of Southern Pines is serving the family.