Jane Conner King (84) passed away peacefully on April 5, 2025 in Vancouver, WA. Born on October 19, 1940 in Indianapolis, Indiana, Jane led a vibrant and accomplished life dedicated to education, arts, animals and her community.
She spent her early years in Indiana and attended Broadripple and Burris High Schools in Indiana before continuing her education at Purdue, where she received degrees in art and education and was a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority.
Jane dedicated her professional life to teaching mathematics at the high school and community college level in Chico and Orland, CA. She also served on the Chico School Board where she worked to improve local education. In 2014, she authored and illustrated a book, "A Fox in the Family", which was the bronze medal award winner at the The Great Northwest Book Festival in 2015.
In addition to her teaching career, Jane was a talented artist known for her commissioned portraits and sculptures of hunting dogs and fox hunting. Her artwork was regularly featured in the Chronicle of the Horse.
Jane primarily rode English style, was active in dressage and hunted all over the country, winning her colors with 3 hunts including the Los Altos Hunt Club. Her home reflected her deep affection for animals and was typically filled with dogs, cats, birds and horses as well as animal-themed art. Beyond the two foxes (Frisky and Friendly), upon which her book was based, Jane almost always had a rescue project, including Oscar, a great horned owl; TC, the crow; Chipper the squirrel; and Stub, a one legged finch.
Jane was involved in her community through organizations such as the City of Orland Arts Commission.
She is lovingly remembered by her sons, Chris King of Vancouver, WA and Carter King (Amy) of San Mateo, CA; grandchildren Brenna Kingsbury (Collin), Bailey King, Graham King, Miles King, and Leighton King; sister Carroll C. Spinks; nieces and nephews, Carrie Cox, Ann (Scott) Workman, William Conner, Kimberly Conner, Wade Conner, Megan Conner, Joseph Conner, Justin Spinks, Bridget Smith (Robert). She is preceded in death by her parents Maudames and William Conner, her siblings James W. Conner, William T. Conner, Jr. and Ann C. Cox.
In lieu of flowers, honorariums may be given to the City of Orland’s Art Commision.